What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “homeless”? If you are like many Americans, the first thing you think of is dirty old men in cardboard boxes and drug addicts.

Unfortunately for millions of homeless across the country, this is a misconception that is very difficult to overcome. Sadly, it seems that society’s view of the homeless is based on all the negatives they see in the media. When was the last time you turned on the 10 o’clock news and heard a story about a homeless man holding up a liquor store or being involved in a back alley shooting? And when was the last time you saw one that graciously thanks a passer-by for tossing a couple of quarters in their cup? Although the second situation happens on a regular basis, the latter makes it to the news.

With so much public opinion based on terrible news stories such as these, how can a person see through all the smoke to realize there are good people out there? For me it took some time volunteering at the Ames Emergency Shelter and the ability to open up to others in order to break through these misconceptions. I went to the shelter not knowing what to expect, but soon found everything I knew about the homeless was a myth. I found instead the nicest, most well-mannered people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

When I arrived at the shelter, most of the residents were gathered around the television in the living room watching a football game. Knowing a fair amount about the sport, I casually interjected my opinions into their conversation. Although the residents were defensive at first, I stuck with it and was soon carrying on long conversations about quarterbacks and defensive lines. I found the “in” I had been searching for and the men quickly accepted me into the group as just another one of the guys. Once I had gained their trust, I was able to start gaining an insight into these individuals and their way of life.

One of the first things I came to realize was that most of these men did not feel as if they were blemishes on society. They felt that being homeless was just a different lifestyle. Having never considered this, I decided to dig a little deeper.

An older, rugged- looking man who went by the name of John agreed to discuss this view with me as well as any other thoughts he wanted to express. What I found was that if you ask a homeless person if they have anything they would like to say to the general public, the floodgates open and you get a lot more than you bargained for.

John told me if he had the chance to live his life all over again he wouldn’t change a thing. He said that there is a sense of freedom when you aren’t confined to a specific area or job, which alleviates any stresses or pressures that most people have. He even went as far as to say that he feels sorry for people that have to go to work every day just so they can pay for all their possessions and desires.

By reminding me that money isn’t the most important thing in life, John’s words started to make perfect sense. While most people think that if you have no money you can’t be successful, John told me that as long as all your basic needs are fulfilled, you have everything you need to live a good life.

To my amazement, these words were echoed by many of the other residents of the shelter. Where I had expected to find a group of wary, defeated men, I had found a group of people that are able to find the best side of every situation. When most people would be on the verge of giving up because they felt they had nothing to look forward to, these men would simply look at the sun, smile, and be thankful for another day. This is what makes these people so special: the ability to see the silver lining on every dark cloud.

While I realize that not all homeless people have experiences nearly as good as these men at the shelter, the experience I had opened my eyes to a whole new line of thinking. What I took away from all of this was a greater appreciation of the homeless and all the obstacles they must overcome just to lead a normal life. It is an experience everyone should have that would quickly erase the myth most people have about the homeless and let them see who these people really are—human beings.