True Life of a Nomad

I greatly enjoyed Caroline sharing her experiences with Barbara. It was not only beneficial for Barbara but I feel it was beneficial for the reader. Throughout the experience, Barbara has tried to follow certain rules for herself to receive the full experience of living and functioning with a low-wage occupation. But she also has the option to bend a few rules, if necessary, or quit the entire project. But in Caroline’s case, this is not an option, especially with her responsibility of having two children. I enjoy Barbara’s writings, but she will never be able to fully feel the heartache and worries that people truly experience living in these situations. (Not to mention Barbara continues to remind the reader this mission is strictly for the service of journalism.)

Through Caroline, the reader is able to slightly embark on a non-experimental journey of a temporary nomad. We (the readers) gather some insight on the toll this lifestyle has on the entire family. Caroline lacks quality time with her children because she must have a source of income. The oldest daughter becomes a mother to the younger sibling – picking up the sister from daycare, and taking care of the sister (feeding, watching, etc.) – and foregoes the opportunity to live a healthy childhood lifestyle. We also seem to think people in these living situations lack resources/networking tools to help along the way, but Caroline used the church, governmental aid, people from her everyday encounters, and faith to help her day by day.

I’m really pleased Barbara included Caroline’s story in this book.

Assumptions

I am always amazed when people judge and sum-up others before knowing anything about that person. It is of course human instinct that we categorize and place people in certain groupings within the first few seconds of seeing them, but the reactions we make based on our own assumptions is mind-blowing. Generally speaking, if the CEO of a fortune 500 company, or high-figured politician, or even a SLU student was to walk into Hearthside dinner, there would be a pre-conceived notion of the type of person that would be serving them for their meal. Most likely, they would think of a lazy, slightly overweight, lower class woman as their waitress. They would think she has probably slacked off somewhere during her lifetime causing her to work for barely minimum wage, she has not received the proper education to fulfill employment elsewhere, and she has children from different fathers because of lack of responsibility. All of these thoughts have circulated in one’s mind within the first five minutes of walking through the door.

Although this might be slightly over dramatized, the fact of the matter is that we judge people without knowing their story. I think of Gail as I am writing this. Gail is a woman that has been through a physically, mentally and emotionally rough time. She has been living several months in her truck, yet in the summer is not an option due to the weather and the lack of security. She also deals with the traumatizing loss of her boyfriend due to a brawl in prison (charged of DUIs) causing a lack of sleep and drained energy. Yet she quickly and expeditiously with a pleasant spirit, sympathizes for the out-of-work mechanic buying his meal, and cares for her customers. Whatever pain, heartache, and exhaustion is felt, she continues to move-on and prosper with great vigor causing all the assumptions once made are irrelevant.