“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said this. It describes the distinction between having a house and having a home. A house is a physical location where we live, whereas a home is a location where we also live but are at peace with ourselves or our families. A house can protect us from the elements, but it also provides warmth and nourishment for our weary souls.

A home can be large or small, luxurious or simple. You could be living with your parents, or you could be living with your wife or husband and children. However, no matter how much money you have or how expensive your clothes are, none of these things are important in life. The greatest failure in a person’s life is not financial poverty, but the lack of a loving home.

“Why don’t they get a job?” most passersby asked when they saw homeless people begging on the street. In fact, they are unaware of these people’s past. They may have had a happy home but may have forgotten how to return or may have never wanted to return. People in Taoyuan reported a 56-year-old homeless man who was suspected of being mentally ill years ago.

He frequently caused trouble wherever he went and kept telling people that he had a bank account with $72,765.00 (approximately $500,000).According to reports, the 56-year-old homeless man in Taoyuan had a mental illness that frequently caused trouble for passersby. He would go after kind-hearted people who helped him or gave him supplies. People nearby were so concerned by his disturbing behavior that they requested a social worker to accompany him to the hospital.

The homeless man did not say anything at first and just stared blankly at the social worker. Many more visits, however, caused the homeless man to gradually respond, from closing his eyes to waving his hand to refuse. After a few more visits, the homeless man’s supplies were no longer littered by the social worker or passersby. After bringing the homeless man to the hospital, the social worker discovered that he had told others about his bank account.

However, because his documents were missing, he was unable to withdraw the funds. “Who would take his words seriously?” wondered the social worker. The social worker wanted to believe the homeless man and prove him correct. He took him to the post office to get some official documents. The homeless man was initially agitated, but when he and the social worker visited the bank, they were able to issue him a new passbook.

When the homeless man opened his bank book, he just stared at it blankly. The social worker examined the passbook to gain his permission. He was astounded to find $58,936.00 (approximately NT$1.8 million) in it! Since then, the homeless man has recalled some memories and remembered his family’s phone number at home. The social worker felt free to contact any of his family members who were available at the time.

His 85-year-old father unexpectedly answered the phone. “My son is missing and has not been seen for a long time!” exclaimed the man on the other end of the phone.
The homeless man’s father shared a touching story with the social worker about what happened to him six years ago. “He lost $87,320.00 in cash and other documents when his bag was stolen.” Because of what has happened, it is now difficult for him to finally meet a kind-hearted person.

But we appreciate you finding him.” When the homeless man began to recall his memories, he exclaimed excitedly, “I want to go home.” My father is still at home. Is that all right?” The social worker returned him to his loving family after bringing him home. Netizens who had heard about his story were moved. “How long had his life been empty before meeting a good person?”

“Thank you to the social worker for not giving up on him and for believing in his words.””After such a long swing, I can finally return to my warm home!” said the no longer homeless man. It could have been years since the family welcomed back a lost family member. Fate has brought them together again. For some, the social worker served as a link between missing people who were supposed to reunite. Some people believe in miracles. However, there are angels among us who lend a helping hand in everyday situations.