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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (March 31, 2017)
Page 6 T im e b y H e n ry M ille r Eric S. We take our time for granted As we go through our daily life Whether it be spent in pleasure Or in frustration with our strife BY M EGHANN VA N PELT STAFF WRITER The clocks are always ticking As we go throughout our days Some waste their time so easily Not really thinking of their ways Few of us seem to realize How truly precious time can be For those we spend today with We may never again in life see Our time should be dearly cherished Never wasted on what has past You never know what tomorrow brings Nor which moment will be your last Answers to Page 15 Puzzles d] i s 7 IAI 0 a N 3 * N V AA O N À d d d V ® V d O 3 n a 3 is ¡S d 1 3 d a 1 S d 3 1 N 3 IAI ° IN I a H 1 a 1 1 ' S s 3 ± N 3 I 1 d 0 à I T 0 1 d s 3 N 0 s d 1 H s d 0 a V S s l V 3 n H 3 IAI V S M ■ ■ IAI 1 S p S 1 0 3 N 1 9 1 3 1 0 V A V 3 9 0 IAI S 1 d 3 d p rik S. left Denver for Portland in 1998. His parents were living here in a house inherited from Erik’s grandparents. “I wanted to keep an eye on them and see how they were doing,” he said. Erik had been working and living with his parents until his mother’s death in February 2016, when things quickly changed for him. “Her death kind of threw me in a downward spiral. It was just processed too quickly. I didn’t know what to do.” Erik lost a place to call home and, soon thereafter, steady employment. He said this is his first time experiencing homelessness: “It’s overwhelming. Nobody expects it. Erik found a place to spend nights at City Team Ministries, an overnight men’s shelter in Southeast Portland. There he has met new friends and found some semblance of structure as he moves forward. Things can be tense at the shelter with the inevitability of lost items, personality differences, E For some it’s planned quite strictly Every single moment do they count Keeping everyone on a schedule Yet not tracking the true amount Is !d 0 Street Roots • March 31 -April 6, 2017 Vendors d V À V 3 d 3 A 3 d n V Á d 3 3 Erik remains positive about the situation as a whole. Even when things are difficult living in a shelter, Erik is aware of his own shortcomings and tries not to take little situations too seriously. “I’ve got to catch myself sometimes,” he said. He shared a story about a missing black hat of his that, upon recognizing it was gone for good, he jokingly and long nights, but 1 3 d o V a IAI V 1 a V H C E N T R A L C IT Y 1 3 d V 3 9 n demanded the forensics unit stop everything to look for it. As he tries to navigate his new situation, Erik takes time to reflect upon all he has learned along the way. “One thing I discovered, though, when you are homeless, you really have to open up to people. You do not have to tell them your whole life story, but you need to talk to people, learn things that are going on; you’ll start making friends.” Erik remains grateful for what he has gained despite the loss of his mother and his former way of life. “You start realizing how much people really do care about you,” he said. “Even though you’re homeless, there’s still a group of people that kind of watch your back, kind of take care of you.” Erik heard about Street Roots through friends at City Team and has been selling the paper for a few months with the advice of other Street Roots vendors about best sales practices. Erik can be found selling Street Roots at the Starbucks in the Pearl District. In the meantime, Erik is patiently taking life one day at a time. “I still want my own place, my own bed,” he said. “I’m still overwhelmed, still trying to figure things out, but I’m working on it.” CO FFEE N 0 i r o < welL. S) q - yoad. h 1 0 0 1 3 À 3 1 A 9 N 1 >i N 1 d H S 3 S n d 1 AA s l x 1 l i IAI V 3 3 S 1 V N 3 ■ 1 z 8 8 p I- 9 V L L 9 6 8 p 8 7 r 9 6 9 8 8 r L 7 9 L r 9 6 p e 9 8 7 9 6 Sourcing & roasting craft coffee to benefit programs at Central City Concern. I V IN STORES 9 6 9 L i 7 9 8 8 6 7 9 8 I- 6 8 L 9 9 L p I 8 7 9 9 6 p 8 8 7 8 6 p I- 8 7 9 L p L 9 I- 8 New Seasons Market, Whole Foods, Food Front Cooperative Grocery, Green Zebra, Chuck's Produce and Will Leather Goods. AT YOUR OFFICE Street Roots posters are for sale! All proceeds benefit our vendors, journalism and activism. Go to www.zazzle.com/street__roots and get your posters today! Interested in serving Central City Coffee at your office? Get in touch with us and we can help you make that happen. 503.226.7387 \ A\ T \ \ ON OUR WEBSITE Buy Central City Coffee online and have it shipped directly to you or a friend. AT KASBAH MOROCCAN CAFE Get your espresso favorites at Old Town's newest spot (201 NW Davis Street), featuring Central City Coffee! Follow our Facebook page for updates and specials. centralcitycoffee.org facebook.com/CentralCityCoffee coffee@ccconcern.org Support Street Roots' outstanding vendors and great journalism. Give a one-time or recurring donation today streetroots.org o ffll th
