“My fear came from the fear of not knowing how to react.”

“When I was 9 or 10 years old, I witnessed something that I still remember today. I got home pretty late one night, probably because of football practise. When I was walking in the stairwell on the way up to my apartment, I saw something that, in that age, scared me. A homeless, drunk man was laying in the stairs. I really remember it because I was so scared. I didn’t leave my apartment for days because I was really afraid that he was still going to be there. I don’t know what I was afraid of, but the memory is still there and I felt like my fear came from the fear of not knowing how to react. After I thought about it I realized that the man must be going through a hard time. Today I know that not all homeless people are drunk weirdos, and that they actually can be really nice if you just say ‘hi’. They are humans, just like everyone else. So from that day on, I decided that I was always going to greet people that are sitting outside of grocery stores and similar. Because I know that a simple wave or word can really change someone's day. For me, it’s no big deal. But some people have been through a lot, and really need joy in their lives. Everyone should remember that you feel better to make someone else happy. Don’t take your life and happiness for granted.”

“I don’t think that people realize how easy it is to be nice to people. When we’re kids, spreading love and joy is easy. We ask ourselves, ‘why are people so mean to each other?. We don’t know why people don’t respect each other. I can still ask myself the same thing, and it’s horrible that we just accept the fact that everyone doesn’t respect and understand other people. For homeless people, it’s not about being disrespectful. If you grew up in a positive environment and good circumstances, you can’t imagine what it's like not living like that. Believe me, I’ve tried to. That’s why I think that it’s stupid when parents tell their kids to ‘think about the kids in Africa’. First of all, that’s pretty biassed. Second of all, it’s not about imagining what it’s like, it’s about respect. We just have to understand other people, not live like them. The ‘basic swedish-family’ live differently than a ‘basic african-family’ But we’re all people. We all live like we learn and can only live from the perspective of ourselves.”

“I still remember the man in the stairwell today. But with a different perspective. That I was scared when I was 9 is not weird. I just haven't learned about other people and their lives. I thought that my life was normal and all other lives were odd. If you ask a kid today, they will say that my life is ‘normal’. And it’s not because kids are disrespectful, it’s just because they don’t know. If we teach the new generation about other people’s lives, I think that the world is more respectful.”

Wilma 9a