Thought Theater

I wrote the following poem, Eden's End, some time back after focusing on the many people one sees on the roadside with signs asking for money because they are without work or homeless or any number of other reasons. I've read articles that a number of these individuals actually do this for a living. I've also read that many of them are in fact homeless and suffer from addictions or mental illnesses. There is a tendency to assume the worst and doing so usually provides the rationale to ignore their requests and drive on without acknowledging their presence.

The other day I was driving around and came upon a stoplight at which a young woman was standing with a sign that simply said "Need Help". What caught my eye was the fact that she was wiping tears from her red face as she stood on the corner. It looked to me that she must have been crying for a while. I was in the second lane and I watched a car ahead of me in the lane closest to the curb roll down the window and hand her some money. While I reached for my wallet, the light changed but I was determined to give her some money so I remained stopped as she ran towards the car while avoiding the traffic. I handed her the money and she thanked me profusely. I said good luck and moved on.

It made me think about this poem and this photo I took while in Vienna. They seemed to be a perfect match for this posting since we often hope others will see us and see our need for a kind word or a warm smile or just an acknowledgment that we exist. In a world that is often cold and callous, it’s a shame that those in need are often overlooked. I'm reminded of the images from New Orleans during Katrina. Perhaps we should all be more mindful of those in need.