if you don't see it...

So today was a FULL day! I can say that I am enjoying the perks of working at Hallmark! Because along with my 25% discount, the manager let us peruse through a huge tray of all types of greeting cards that were going to be thrown away because they were obsolete and they had no room for them! I made out like a bandit! I took home like 40 free cards with envelopes! oh man, talk about early christmas! So I had fun working today and talking with Janice, one of my co-workers. She's from the Magnolia neighborhood near the Queen Anne neighborhood. :) But we had fun today, and I got to eat some more of the wonderful food that Benta offered me since i brought soup in a can, but they didn't have a can opener. it was yummo! she made Top Ramen Pasta Salad and there were hotdogs and candy! it was amazing! So after work, I decided to go to Pacific Place mall and go see THE DARK KNIGHT! It was soooo good! i jumped like 3 times and was so into it! I kept covering my mouth and gasping and leaning forward- i REALLY get into movies! Then as I was walking home, I noticed a crowd of young people loitering in the little concrete park across from Westlake Center, on my way to the bus. Now, it's not uncommon at all that a crowd of people to be there, but tonight, it was a very large crowd.

They all were sitting on the ground, begging for money and attention- and they were in their like late teens and early twenties, with raggy clothing and lots of piercings and tattoos and they just looked so lonely, even though there were a ton of them there. and really when i say a ton, i mean like 25 or 30...all just gathered around, waiting for spare change. And I'll never forget that as i was rushing by to make sure i caught the bus before it stopped running, I slowed down just enough to hear this girl in that crowd yell really loudly: "YEAH THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLE. JUST KEEP WALKING! IF YOU DON'T SEE IT, IT'S NOT THERE, RIGHT?!?" And my heart started breaking and I started to tear up as I rushed by, and as I rode the bus home, that phrase kept ringing in my head. If I don't see it, it's not there, right? If I don't see her, then she's not there. If I don't see the people in need, then they don't exist right? man, it was tough. but i knew that from that moment forward, i would stop looking at the ground when i passed them on the street. Because they deserve to be noticed. And when I go to work on Monday, I'm gonna bring them some breakfast food, and let them know that they are there, and not ignored.

Now I'm here at home, and the words are still in my head...