Reflection, good for the soul.

I have just had 10 days annual leave from work which happened to coincide with finishing a year long course. So it seemed the ideal time to reflect on where I've been, am and going.

Having been part of Emmaus in the UK for the past 3 years now, firstly at Emmaus Village Carlton and for the past couple of years here at Emmaus Sheffield it was the first time I had really taken to look back and see the journey I'd been on.

Three years ago I entered Emmaus, homeless, addicted to crack cocaine and heroin, with my mental health spiralling downward, untreated and in danger of becoming life threatening.

Three years on I was looking back from the position of being 3 years clean from drugs, my mental health medicated and managed, running my own department at work here at Emmaus Superstore Sheffield generating a income for the charity in the 10's of 1000's and just completed a level 3 apprenticeship in business administration, my first ever qualification at the age of 48.

What was really interesting was I had no plan or sense of moving in any direction, but looking back it is clear that I have been on a path. I'm very aware that this journey has not been one I've taken on my own, there have been many helping hands along the way, and there still are.

I have been able not just to look back but also look forward and for the first time in more years than I can remember I can look at the next year with a sense of direction and beyond that at the next 5 years with a vision for my future. How different this is from the days when I didn't even know where my next meal was coming from.

So how has this come about, what has changed for me, how did I get from A to B? As I said above many hands have helped me on this journey but it has all been within the framework of Emmaus. As the government once again flaps about looking for solutions to tackle the homeless problem in this country Emmaus offers all that is needed, if the timing is right for the individual and they are willing to put the work in then change is truly possible.

A customer in the shop yesterday asked what the charity did for the homeless, a member of staff said that it provided accommodation, employment, training opportunities and support. To which the customer replied, is that all dont you give people their own home.

Hmmm, wouldn't homelessness be so easy to sort out if housing was the answer.