Last year, I went to Raphael House in San Francisco, a homeless shelter for families. I am part of a volunteer group that raises funds for homeless children to buy school clothes as well as awareness in the community. We watched a video at the Raphael House compiled of clips showing the lives of homeless children and the ways they interpret and respond to their situations. One boy of eleven compared his life to a game of chess; he said "one wrong move and you could lose everything," deep thought for a fourth grader. He spoke about how he has been homeless for the last five years. That's almost half his life. I can only imagine how transferring between schools, moving around, and not knowing where his next meal would come from could affect a person. His attitude, as well as those of the other children, was optimistic and strong. When faced with hardships, we can act in countless ways, a majority of them being not beneficial, or even ruinous. This young boy has somehow found a way to adapt to his family's lifestyle, with strength and much intellect. While most look down upon the homeless, or anyone out of place in society, I can only aspire to have character such as this kid.