Today I went to a Starbucks in downtown Seattle. I ordered a drink that wasn't on the menu anymore but the store still had the syrup. Because the computer didn't have the correct settings for this drink anymore, the barista gave me the drink for free. Excellent! The day is starting out right.
After getting my drink, I sat down across from a woman who was fast asleep and looked like she could be homeless. I had only been sitting there for approximately 90 seconds when a Seattle police offer came by and, after some struggle, woke the woman and told her the staff wanted her to leave. The police offer was very polite, but firm. As I watched the woman gather her blanket/cape and walk down the street, I couldn't help but wonder how I manage to live in such a bizarre world.
I heard a piece on the radio recently about a group doing sleep studies with the homeless in India. The question the group is asking is if homeless people were able to get better sleep, how would that affect their lives? The piece also highlighted how difficult it is to make good decisions and think critically when experiencing severe sleep deprivation. I definitely know that after several days of lack of sleep, my ability to function normally is pretty much 0.
Seattle has a pretty large homeless population, and I am constantly questioning how I should interact and respond to this group of people. I'm always torn between effectiveness (giving my resources to programs/strategies that seen to really benefit) and immediacy (giving to someone who is asking for help NOW). Giving the gift of sleep seems to address both.
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