A Wren Says

As we did our sightseeing in San Francisco, we strolled down looking at all the homes on Millionaire Row. We were just tourists looking in on how the one percent lives. As nosy as I was, It was disconcerting how few of them had blinds or curtains. I could just look in and discern everything about their lives. It was almost embarrassing. Did they not mind?

In contrast in the city’s center, there were those with no choice. The homeless/unhoused living their lives completely on show with no shelter to hide behind. These were the people that a number of blogs warned me about. The sites proclaimed the need of being aware of the homeless citing safety concerns. Maybe that is true. I can’t speak to the daily experiences of those who live in San Francisco. However, the biggest affront to my peace of mind was the wide expanse between those two groups, so visible a display of haves and have nots.

The plight of homelessness is not just a San Francisco problem. It is worldwide, and has certainly been present in the major cities I have visited in the past twelve months. It is a complicated issue. There are multiple causes and just as many or more suggested solutions.

The more I travel, in particular because of the types of properties and experiences I’m drawn to, I’m cognizant of my role in this larger ecosystem. There is a bit of guilt as I descend the steps of a luxury property only to confront the problem head on, feeling powerless to make real change.

As I engage in this space more, I am questioning things. I know that more emphasis has been placed on building hotel properties that are sustainable in terms of environmental consciousness. But how do we become more considerate of our ecological system, the people we are connected to and the ways our choices serve the greater good?

This post by no means provides an answer, but I’m hoping as a collective we will get to one soon.