Photo: Matt Collamer | Unsplash
Often people, communities, families, governments and organizations engage homelessness as a problem in need of fixing rather than an opportunity to learn about yourself and others and cultivate compassion through different encounters and offerings of lovingkindness and generosity. Philip Vu, a 24-year-old vlogger from New Haven, Conn., developed a unique friendship with a homeless person one night while driving around in his car. Vu first met Mike when he was trying to clean his car windows to earn a little cash for the cold night ahead. Even though Vu refused to let him clean the windows, he offered to buy him a falafel sandwich that the two ate in his car. After having a candid conversation for about half an hour, Vu pulled out his camera and started vlogging the conversation. Over the ensuing hours, both men shared life experiences and stories that humanized homelessness for Vu and his listeners in a powerful and wonderful way that opened up compassion and a spirit of giftivism. The video went viral on TikTok and got more than a million views. Many of the viewers were moved by Vu and Mike's conversation, Mike's circumstances and strivings for a better life, and ended up donating money to help Mike find a place to live.
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