To the editor:

I am worried after reading in Sunday’s paper about tensions between homeowners and homeless people living outdoors along the river. While that is something we need to be aware of, most people have never had an interaction with a homeless person, and I’m afraid that focusing on extreme cases presents one facet of the problem at the expense of seeing the overall situation.

Most homeless people are not like that. Most of them behave themselves, and many of them are women with children. About once a week I give $5 to homeless people standing on corners in commercial areas in south Lawrence. They are so grateful. They say “thank you,” but the look in their eyes says “you can’t know what this means to me.” Many times, that brief interaction is the most meaningful part of my day.

Craig Voorhees,

Lawrence