Many of you ask me how I’m doing up here in my tent. The biggest irritation so far? My finger nails are dirty.  Yep, that’s the thing that’s bugging me most. Never mind that I’m in a boat surveying the puddles near my tent. Never mind the wind decimated the two tarps I have taped together to shield me. Never mind the porta potty’s broken and leaking everywhere.

MY FINGER NAILS ARE DIRTY AND I CAN’T GET THEM CLEAN! Aaaccck!

As I ponder my predicament and calm my irritation at the lack of warm, soapy water in which to wash my hands, I glance up to find four ladies climbing the ladder to my aerie. They brought me French toast. And bacon. And coffee.

I curl my fingers into my palms so they won’t see the dirt. I hope they don’t notice I’m wearing my pajamas. I haven’t brushed my teeth in 2 days (Please tell me my dentist isn’t reading this!) And my wool socks leave wet prints on the mat as I greet them.

When their stories unfold suddenly my nails don’t seem so important. Barbie and Cassie are homeless.

They brought me breakfast this morning cooked at Mary’s Place. It’s a day center for homeless women. And so much more. It’s a loving community of support. A place to remember what it was like to cook in a kitchen. A place where people look you in the eye and hug you. A place where people call you by name.

“It’s so important to be called by your name; because when you’re homeless you get called a lot of names and not necessarily your own.” This quote from formerly homeless, Mona Joyner, is from a book of portraits titled, Women of Mary’s Place.  Sixteen women artists and sixteen homeless and formerly homeless women of Seattle participated.  What a great heART project.

Mary’s place is where homeless and formerly homeless women and children find a safe environment to build community, find resources and develop strength to help themselves.  Marcia McLaughlin, Mary’s Place, shared that in addition to direct contributions, they could use volunteers:  nurses for their free health program, people to cook on Saturdays, volunteers to write a note of support to homeless women in jail. Call Marcia at (206) 228-4354.

We shared a powerful conversation this morning. Barbie and Cassie reminded me that many of us are one paycheck away from homelessness, one illness away from living in a shelter. In Snohomish county alone, we have almost 2,000 people every day who don’t have a place to sleep except the street or in their cars. I could be one of them.

Seems so trivial to worry about my dirty nails.