Oct
Phillip Howard: Advice from 60 years…
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By Anna Katharine Thomas
Editorial Intern
Street Sense vendor Phillip Howard just turned 60, and offered to share a few lessons and stories that he has learned during his six decades of life.
Howard was born September 20, 1951 in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University Hospital. He said his favorite birthday so far has been this one because, Howard said, he finally realized what his mother meant when she told him, “one day you are gonna stop…”
“Through the years, I realized what she was trying to tell me early in my life. And I have outlived my oldest brother, and I have outlived my baby brother, but I still have my three sisters and my one brother—and I love them all,” said Howard.
Howard has lost a lot of loved ones during his lifetime, but through it all he said he has learned how important it is to communicate with others.
“If we don’t communicate, how do I know what you need?” said Howard.
He emphasized the importance of communication, especially within families. Adults should “be responsible and communicate. Give good advice, not bad advice…enlighten one another.”
Howard said a child’s responsibility is to listen to their mother and father.
“They know. They know wisdom. They know strength, and they know love,” said Howard.
He has been with Street Sense since November of 2003, and if there is anything he has learned during his time as a vendor it is that “you can’t demand anything.”
“Be humble. Be kind. Be courteous, and understand. Don’t get frustrated…you are doing a community service. The people are doing a community service by buying the paper,” said Howard.
But in being humble, kind, courteous and understanding we must all remember
that we are human beings. We must treat one another as human beings, and demand that others treat us the right way, according to Howard.
“I’m not the richest guy in the world, or in the United States, but I am happy,”
said Howard. “I am not perfect as an individual, but I humble myself to everyone because I have learned from a wise person. I remember him saying many many years ago, ‘common courtesy
can carry you along.’”
Through all his days of struggle and difficulties, Howard said for his birthday he celebrated by thanking God.
“I didn’t do any parties or balloons I just prayed that thank the Lord for allowing me to see another birthday through my times of struggle,” said Howard. Because “You don’t know what’s gonnna happen to you.”
A few things Howard said he wanted everyone to remember:
- “Stay out of trouble.”
- “Keep the good spirits.”
- “There’s a lot to be thankful for—I woke up this morning!”
- “To get respect you have to give it.”
- “Everyday you grown, if you want to grow.”
- “Stop being part of the problem, and be part of the solution.”
My Stop Message
If more under the power and insanity of addiction cold stop long enough to focus on beginning of a fresh new day without the plague of a bottle of wine, a balloon, spoon and its outfit, a hit and its accompanying glass pipe or anything that must be ingested in some way to relieve the pressure and pain felt by addiction.
If such could stop long enough to watch the sun rise and endure its soothing warmth and tremendous energy instead of what has become a pest in the sky burning and getting in the way of another beautiful day that can never be seen.
Stop and try to remember what your teeth were like before this monster called addiction took over the direction of your hygiene. Remember what your bathroom was like around this same time and if you showered or bathed on a regular basis.
Stop long enough to hear an ole jam mastered by one of the greatest of strings being played on a distant radio. Remember those days and how life was indeed BREEZIN’.
Stop and reflect on the last night’s peaceful and most comfortable slumber. As well reflect on that significant other you cherish to this day and how the two of you awoke to that beautiful dawn. And in such waking, after experiencing a night never to forget, the two of you put a seal on your love aided even more by the dawn and its rising sun.
Recall if you will the times on a regular basis when breakfast, lunch and dinner were hot and tasty meals. Remember if such was the reason for all those diets. Remember the service you were treated with at the local supermarket due to the checks that were always honored because not one of them ever bounced. Recall, if you will, how your identification to verify checks had been replaced by your wide smile.
Compare your domestic quality today to yesterday. I mean; when was the last time you were complimented for your domestication for a bright and cheerful home?
Stop and calculate the last most consistent lot of paid: rent, gas, electric, newspaper, ebony, jet, playboy, phone, internet and cable bills – not to forget housenotes for those of you. And by consistent I refer to that lot of paid bills years old now. And while your calculating find those receipts for that wide screen television set with DVR, that stereo system with its thousand plus collection of your favorite music, that gold watch with the diamond midnight mount, other jewelry shared out of love and the late model car.
Maybe after just some of this reflecting one may begin to do more wanting, desiring and yearning other than those times we can get backed up against a wall. As long as that need does not arise those of us who keep saying, “hey; maybe I need to”, may have a shot at recalling to light that missing sun and all its fresh glory.
You may even find that a rainy day has certain freshness to it for all its intended purposes.
Like the rain after some polluted problem in a downtown or ghetto alley you think of that monster you are polluted by as the very same. And a good hard rain can be thought of as those tears and flow of snot all pouring without the thought of a man crying or a woman giving in both to surrender. And like the rain there is something fresh and clean throughout that is seen and felt as strength, courage and especially humbleness.
On the first sun shinny day after the cleansing rain can be seen and felt the very same intensity after one’s own shower -OH YES ! It’s alright to cry ! At least for me it was and is still today. As well there are those I walk with in this fresh new world who feel the very same. There are those witnessed on a regular basis who feel the beginning of this brand new world free of the chains of insanity.
And if pride should stand in the way of so much pain suffered by addiction than it is only my suggestion that maybe you wait for one of Seattle’s many rainy days or New York, Chicago or Atlanta’s many buckets of rain and walk in it. No one except our Higher Power will notice you in the midst of a wet crowded downtown or lonely ghetto street CLEANING HOUSE. . .
BeBop
I too am thankful to have lived just over six decades and look to leave a message for still yet the many struggling with life.