Everyday Life of the Invisible
In the silent, grey streets of Munich, where the sun only timidly breaks through the clouds and the cold grips the souls of passersby, live the Invisible. They are not ghosts, but men and women of flesh and blood, who eke out a fragile existence under bridges, in parks, and in the abandoned corners of the city. They are the homeless, the lost, the ones pushed aside by society. Their existence is a constant struggle against time and oblivion.
Here sits a man, let’s call him Hubert. He was once a carpenter, a person with dreams and hopes, like you and me. But life took those dreams from him, piece by piece, until nothing remained but bare survival. He is one of many living in the shadows of the city’s grand buildings and wealth. They are the mirrors, reflecting our own fragility back at us, yet we do not see them.
The passersby hurry past, trapped in their own worlds of appointments, worries, and trivial conversations. They do not see the Invisible, or they choose not to. For in the eyes of these people lies a truth that is hard to bear: the line between security and loss is thin, thinner than we care to admit.
Irony of Prosperity
Munich is a city of abundance. In the street cafes, coffee flows in streams, boutiques display the latest fashions, and restaurants remain filled with people enjoying culinary delights late into the night. Yet, while champagne bubbles in glasses and laughter fills the streets, outside, men and women sleep on cold, hard ground.
Society claims to be modern, humane, and just. But what is justice in a world that allows people to sleep on the streets without a roof over their heads? The cities are full of vacant buildings and closed doors, while outside, men and women shiver and go hungry in the winter. Where is humanity when we close our eyes and walk on as if they do not exist?
Hope is the rainbow over the rushing stream of life.
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Hubert’s Wisdom
Hubert, with his tattered coat and tired eyes, may possess more wisdom than the scholars and politicians who judge him. For he has experienced the essence of life, beyond materialism and status. His everyday existence is a constant dialogue with the survival instinct, a daily lesson in humility and resilience.
He remembers the times when he still had a home, a family, a job. The things that once seemed so certain are now memories of another life. „It can happen to anyone,“ he says softly, more to himself than to anyone else. The harshness of the street has taught him that security is an illusion, that life can change in an instant.
Voices of Ignorance
It is easy to give advice or pass judgment on the Invisible. „Why don’t they work?“ ask the voices of ignorance. But the answer is more complex, more nuanced. Each of them has a story, a sequence of events and decisions that brought them to this point. And in every story, there is a person who is no less valuable than anyone else.
The bureaucracy, the cold, impersonal systems that decide the lives of the homeless, are often merciless. A lost document, a missed appointment, and the small hope for support shatters. The people who operate these systems see only files, not the human beings behind them. The Invisible become numbers, cases to be processed.
Truth in the Night
At night, when the city falls silent and the sounds of the day fade away, it is the Invisible who remain awake. They are the guardians of the truth we do not want to see. Their presence is a constant protest against the injustice of the world, a silent scream echoing through the alleys.
Hubert lies on his thin mattress, wrapped in layers of blankets and clothes he has gathered over the years. The wind whistles through the cracks in the old buildings, but he is used to it. He thinks about the times when he used to walk in the park with his family on weekends when the world still seemed in order. These memories are a bittersweet comfort in the darkness.
The Courage to Look
The question is not how we can make them visible again. The question is whether we have the courage to look. Whether we are willing to break through the illusion of security and take responsibility for our fellow human beings. Because in a just society, there are no Invisible. In a truly humane world, everyone is seen, heard, and respected.
We could start by acknowledging that every person has the right to a dignified life. That it is our duty to stand up for each other, especially for the weakest among us. Politics must do more than make promises; it must act. And we as individuals must be willing to share a part of our prosperity to support the Invisible.
Hope of Humanity
The Invisible of Munich are not just a warning; they are a reflection of our own humanity. Their stories, their struggles, their dreams – they are a part of us. And perhaps, just perhaps, it is time for us to start really looking and acting. Because at the end of the day, we are all part of the same city, the same world, the same humanity.
It has grown late, and the streets are quiet. Hubert pulls his coat tighter around himself and closes his eyes. He does not know what the next day will bring, but he knows one thing: as long as there are people like him who do not give up, there is hope. And maybe, just maybe, someone will come and see him, truly see him, and recognize that the Invisible are the true guardians of our shared humanity.
