I do think the world would be a fantastic place if we all acted out of love and pride instead of shame and fear. I think people feel ashamed sometimes because they feel it was their fault that they are in the situation they are in. Even if it is, they still should have enough food to eat.

I know this was how I felt for a long time. I felt ashamed that I had not been responsible and had done things that led up to my being poor and it’s fallout like being evicted, getting utilities turned off, etc. Or I felt ashamed that I couldn’t do better for my kids, move them somewhere with good schools or shame that I couldn’t afford private school. It took a minute for me to realize that economic status or not, my kids deserved to go to clean, safe, and academically competent schools just like the kids of the middle-class and wealthy. The shame wasn’t that I couldn’t afford to move to an upscale suburb (then) or pay for private schools, the shame was that this country does not provide equal public schools for all children regardless of the economic status of their parents.

In many ways when I look back on my life I feel a sense of shame that I allowed myself to be victimized by others, and didn’t take responsibility for myself at an earlier age. But – I do think that we have a responsibility to other people as well. I feel a sense of shame that I have not done what I can do to help others.