Tonight after finishing an enjoyable dinner in downtown Colorado Springs, I walked past a man sitting in the dark on the side of a building. It was about 40 degrees outside. He had a terrible cough. I assumed he was homeless. I walked by and acted as if I didn't see him.
Why would I do that?
If I don't see him does that mean that I don't have to feel guilty for not offering to help him somehow?
If I don't see him maybe I can pretend like Colorado Springs doesn't have a problem with homeless people.
If I don't see him maybe I won't start wondering why I spend so much time trying to help homeless animals that are in a clean warm building with animal beds, meals & medical care.
On the other hand, I walked by a human being and pretended like I didn't even see him.
The first photograph was taken in March 2011. The second photograph was taken in Oct 2012. The man in the first picture was very old and almost blind. The man in the second photo was much younger but he had some major mental issues. I took these photographs from a distance because I didn't want them to see me taking the pictures. I didn't want them to know that I saw them.....
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
Coach John Wooden
There is much in life that I can't fix especially when it comes to the homeless population.
Although it is important to always use caution and be aware that some people are simply bad, some people have drug issues or mental issues that could make them dangerous; a person has a fundamental need to be recognized and valued.
In this case, I could have at least acknowledged his presence and said, "I hope your cough goes away soon."
Sincerely,
Sondra Meyer
Comments(9)