The loss of a child, struck by a truck, pushed off a cliff

In the mid 1990's, she was struck by a truck in Texas. Several years later, her newborn daughter died at just five months old. Last year, she was pushed off a cliff in Nashville and spent well over a month in Vanderbilt. She survived all of that and the one thing she brings up time and time again, is the death of her five month old child. 

Today, Dawn lives under a bridge. She can barely walk more than 100-feet, but somehow makes it down the steep embankment each evening before falling asleep alongside a creek in Nashville. 

In November, Dawn will turn 49

Henry David Thoreau wrote, "What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us." Dawn has much more to conquer. Her entire life is ahead of her. 

Living Life

"What a wee little part of a person's life are his acts and his words! His real life is led in his head, and is known to none but himself." - Mark Twain

Therapeutic Cat Petting Station

So I was at the Therapeutic Cat Petting Station the other day and I noticed the therapist had bandages all over his hands. So, I asked… “What happened to your hands?” He snippily responded with a snarl, “I don’t have to tell you!” I went along with his anger and said, “No, you don’t, but I was curious.” He then turned around facing the window as a way of ignoring me. When he turned, I noticed the back of his cat sign stated, “Ther-apeutic Dog Petting Station.” My only thought as I walked away… Did the dog bite your hand?

I don’t run across many who are angry with the world, but I may have this one time.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” - Buddha

I met Mick Jagger... Sort of

The conversation started, “Man, you look like Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones,” I said with a laugh. “[Laughter] Man, I get that all the time,” he told me. I pulled out the camera and the dancing and posing began. “Wait, is this right, I don’t really know how to dance like Jagger,” he said while laughing.

He then told me about his medical struggles. "I had a heart attack a couple of years ago and they put this vein here [pointing to his chest and then arm], and then a couple of months ago they put in a stint," he said. It was as if he were describing battle wounds of a hard life, talking with a smile that he was still able to stand before me.

"Check this out," he then pulled his pants down. I said, "Wait, where is this going... I don't... No..." I breathed a gasp of relief as he just wanted to show me his American Flag bathing suit that matched his American Flag and Eagle shirt.

Later that evening, myself and a couple of friends drove him to the gas station to get some ice and before he got out of the truck, he made a special effort to pat each of us on the shoulder and say thank you. “God Bless You,” he said as he hopped out of the truck.

"It's all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back." - Mick Jagger

I changed my life

I took the photo and had a brief conversation… minutes later he searched me out in downtown Nashville to tell me one thing that he felt was important to him that he wanted me to know. He said, “I changed my life, I don’t drink like I use to – that’s not me anymore.” He smiled and I quietly put my hand on his shoulder and said, “That’s a big accomplishment, you are doing good – I’m glad to hear that.” He said, “I may be homeless, but I try to do what’s right.” He shook my hand and walked away with what looked to resemble happiness. 

Street Photography

How would you define "Street Photography?" One photographer may have a different definition than you. I may have a different definition than that photographer. My thought... It freezes a microsecond of a human life. It is time frozen in that instant. 

If you look for a definition on Wikipedia, you will find this: "Street photography is photography that features the human condition within public places. Street photography does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment."

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.” ― Ansel Adams

I joined the U.S. Army at age 20

She loves butterflies… She had butterfly earrings, a butterfly shirt, butterfly tattoos and a butterfly necklace with her apartment key attached to it.

“I joined the U.S. Army when I was 20 because I searched for help when I was homeless, but couldn’t find it… The Army was my best option.” I asked her what she did in the Army and she smiled, “I was a secretary, I typed stuff.” I had to listen closely to every word she said as she was hard to understand, but wanted so badly to tell me her story. As she spoke, she would contort her face as if she were giving her words everything she had to push out of her mouth.

Before I left she said, “I have to take medicine for my mental problems, but I have an apartment and my son lives with me… he is diabetic.”

American Author Richard Bach once wrote, “The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly.” Bach's books espouse his philosophy that our apparent physical limits and mortality are merely appearance.

I have a rock that makes photos

"I have a rock that makes photos... pictures," he told me as he vividly described what the rock can do. "Where is this rock," I asked him? "I keep it in a safe in my office, but if everyone knows it - they could follow me and take it," he stated. 

He told me, "The rock makes photos of dogs, people, everyone see's something different." "I'll show it to you sometime," he said.

William Penn was my great, great grandfather

“I just got out of jail,” she told me. I asked her what her plans were, “I don’t have anywhere to go tonight, but I called my son in Philadelphia.”

I met Margaret Marie White in Nashville. She was sitting in front of a truck stop near I-65. “Have you had anything to eat,” I asked? She told me that she had some popcorn earlier in the day, but that was it. So, we got her a hamburger and fries, which is exactly what she wanted. She went inside the restaurant and quietly took a seat in a booth by herself. 

“My great, great grandfather was William Penn,” she said with a smile. Penn was the founder of Pennsylvania. I had to take a second look at her and noticed her eyes were blue and her skin the color of caramel, as opposed to a Hershey Kiss. Penn of course was as white as snow. She then told me, “My grandfather’s eyes were blue too and so were my fathers.”

William Penn was openly against slavery, even though he owned slaves himself. However, he was said to treat slaves much different than most. While I can not verify her story about Penn being a great, great grandfather, I did find it interesting that Penn was once married to a woman whose middle name was Margaret. He married Hannah Margaret Callowhill, who was his second wife in 1696, when she was 25 and he was 52. 

On a side note, Margaret Marie White (pictured) was jailed for “Trespassing.” Surprisingly, the arrest was made at a homeless shelter in Nashville where she was previously told to leave. 

William Penn once stated, "Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children." 

Dad did drugs

"Growing up, my dad did drugs and I think that had an effect on me and mom," he told me. His elderly mother served in the U.S. Army and told me with a motherly smile, "He has a learning disability." 

I met this man in Nashville under The Bridge (Jefferson Street). He has diabetes and has to give himself a shot daily. He uses a walker to make it from point A to point B. The good news, he lives with his mother in an apartment near the Titans Stadium. She too has a myriad of illnesses, but I could tell they support each other. 

"Family is the most important thing in the world." - Princess Diana

Meet THE CHAMP

He weighed 165 pounds in 1972 when he won the 1972 National AAU Welterweight Championship. At that time, he lived in Chicago and trained in the C.Y.O. Gym. C.Y.O. stands for the Catholic Youth Organization. He was only 20 years old at the peak of his championship award and he hung up his boxing gloves for good at the age of 25. 

Tonight I had the pleasure of giving Freddie Washington, Jr. a tent and water. Freddie, who is known on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee as “Champ,” was one of the nicest homeless men I have ever met. He was extremely polite and humble.

The Chicago Times wrote in 1972, “In three rounds for the 165-pound championship, Freddie Washington of Chicago Heights, 111., and the Army defeated Ed Gregory of Brooklyn, N.Y.” 

Champ told me he took some major blows to the head over his boxing career and at one point, thought he would never be able to speak again. He proved the doctors wrong and put forth the same effort that he did during his training years to re-learn the process of speaking. 

In the 1970’s he trained with greats like Billy Boy Thompson, Floyd Smith, and Warren Thunder. Tonight, I was in the midst of a legend. 

In addition to boxing, Champ was also known for running. In his teen years, he was one of the fastest kids in Chicago wining numerous races. 

Tonight was a great night. 

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." - Camille Pissarro

I was in a head on collision

33-Years ago today (6/28/15) he was involved in a head on collision on his way to a swap meet in Wyoming. He told me, “I was driving my 1967 Chevelle Super Sport that I built myself when I hit a truck head on, it killed my friend who was with me and left me partially paralyzed.” He told me that he had been drinking that day, but still thinks about it daily. “I can tell you exactly when it happened, my friend died,” he said.

I met him in Centennial Park (Nashville), he was looking through trash cans. “I go to the VA Hospital in Murfreesboro… I was in the Navy,” he said with a smile. His arms and stomach are decorated with tattoos that include some of the faces of nurses who have helped him over the years at the VA. “She is the most beautiful person I have met,” he said while showing me the tattoo of Zabreta Collins, a nurse at the Murfreesboro campus. While I likely have her name misspelled, he can likely spell it perfect as she was part of his journey in healing.

Pastor Rick Warren stated after the suicide of his son, “Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It's a journey of discovery - there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” Warren told 

Have you met Bone?

This is “Bone.” His real name is William T. Bone and he lives on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee. "Bone is my last name, it's my real name," he said as if I didn't believe him.

“I clean the parking lot of Circle K near Belmont, It’s the cleanest parking lot in town,” he told me. Knowing that he does not work for Circle K I asked him why he does that and he told me, “I clean it because they help me and let me use their bathroom… They are nice to me. They don’t usually pay me, but one time they gave me $4 - - I didn’t ask for it. I used the money to buy a sandwich for me and a homeless friend of mine.”

If you look closely, you will see small dot’s tattooed to his left arm. He tattooed the solar system to his arm along with the sun. I asked, “Who did the tattoo?” He smiled and said, “I did.” He pointed it out to me naming every planet.

Bone can often be found on Music Row drawing in his small portfolio. He showed me a picture of butterflies that were actually humans with wings. He then showed me his picture of a Kiss concert that he drew with pen. "Do you ever see any famous people on Music Row," I questioned? "Sometimes, but not usually."

Bone, who is in his mid fifties, has bi-polar disorder and is on his 12th day with brand new medication. One of the side effects is that he feels tired as his body adjusts to the new prescription. “Sometimes I feel happy, very happy and then all of a sudden I feel sad,” he said in describing his bi-polar disorder. As he was talking he said, “It’s weird, I can be mad at someone and then something clicks and I’m like, why am I mad?”

“I feel like I'm a snow globe and someone shook me up and now every little piece of me is falling back randomly and nothing is ending up where it used to be.” ― a quote by Amy Reed, who wrote the book Crazy. Her book is about two people who fell in love, but one has bi-polar disorder.

The fight

All I heard was, "You don't think I'm strong? Say I'm weak!" A nearby U.S. Army Ranger who was in his sixties looked at me and said, "They're just dancing, that's not a fight... I've seen fights and that's not one." The veteran then laughed and shook his head.

“It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.” ― Alfred Adler

Alfred W. Adler was an Austrian medical doctor, psychotherapist, and founder of the school of individual psychology. Adler worked closely with Sigmund Freud. Smart would be an understatement.

On the outside of the fence

It was interesting, I walked inside the fence and outside the fence of the Gay Pride event in Nashville today. What I saw on the inside were the kids who were picked on in 7th grade, but grown up now. I saw the guys who took art class serious and took creativity to a whole new level, but were not accepted by the jocks. I saw the girls who were not part of the stylish clique of the week in high school. I saw the men who had fathers that abused them... I saw they had a place to fit in while inside the fence. I saw they were fully accepted no matter their size, dress or attitude while inside the confines of the fence.

On the outside of the fence I saw only three people arguing with those on the inside about the choices made on the "other side" of the fence, as if the choices I make (or they make) on the outside of the fence are always 100% perfect or positive in some way - - It was like those on the outside were looking into what they viewed as chaos that they failed to somehow control or capture.

Sometimes it's helpful to walk on the inside of the fence to see the outside.

"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone." - Jesus Christ

Good Chicken

I met this man under the Jefferson Street bridge in Nashville during a special program geared towards providing food for the homeless. He did not have to tell me how good the smoked chicken tasted, I saw his empty plate. 

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."  - Mother Teresa 

I have volunteered for over 5 years

I asked how long he has volunteered at The Bridge ministry under the Jefferson Street bridge in Nashville and he told me that he has been a part of it for over 5 years. People like this man are the real hero's in helping the less fortunate. 

The Bridge Ministry serves food and provides groceries for the less fortunate in Davidson County every Tuesday night. Click here to learn how you can volunteer. 

It's Good to be Seen

"I was in the U.S. Army," he told me with a smile. He was sitting on his small scooter (Hov-a-round) when I noticed him under the Jefferson Street bridge in Nashville. He rode it several blocks from his home near 8th Avenue to get groceries. If you did not know, The Bridge is a ministry program where they hand out food to those in need every Tuesday evening.

"My front tires need to be replaced, but the back ones are good," he said with a chuckle. I quizzed him about the front tires asking where he gets them, "Uncle Sam buys me the tires when these go bald - - SEE, Sam is good for something [laughing]!" He told me he rides his battery powered scooter all over Nashville, even to the VA.

As I turned to walk away I said, "It was good to see you tonight." He responded, "It's good to be seen, beats the alternative [laughter and a smile]!"