"Handy"-capped

Day 10: It's Sunday so J and I went to the local Dunkin Donuts for a "treat". I love their coffee. It always amazes me that no matter how many coffee places there are close by (DD or Starbucks etc)- every one of them is packed! There's always a line forming. Anyway while there we noticed a young woman waiting in this long line for her coffee, when we were leaving, she happened to be leaving too. She was parked right out front in the Handicapped parking spot. Now to the eye she looked as healthy as you and I and that would normally be enough to get my blood boiling, (we would all love a handy pass to park up front but most of us are against blatantly bucking the system), but she had also left her child (5 or 6 years old) in the car while she went in for her coffee. At least she left the car running so the child could have some air conditioning on this 88 degree day - but also convenient in case the local riff raff needed a car. It so happens we were at the DD that was held up at gun point 2 weeks ago (not that we're in a bad area I just think there are more desperate people out there right now). So what are you supposed to do? Are you supposed to confront the "mother"? Do you turn your back and hope that you don't see her on the news in the future crying that her car was stolen with her child inside while she was getting coffee/paying for gas/shopping in the mall....... It's hard to say. How many of us would have said something? We didn't.

In the society that we live in you just don't know how people will react to you butting into their life. We've lost all sense of community. It's every man for himself and to heck with everyone else.

It brings to mind the video recently of the 78 year old man that was hit by 2 cars while trying to cross the road (to see video click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t4wWGH51-A). So many people just kept driving by. A guy in a motor scooter came by and circled him and went on his merry way. I'm sure one of the people on the sidewalk called 911 but no-one stopped traffic to make sure he wasn't hit again. No-one went over to comfort him and let him know he wasn't alone. I heard that the main excuse was, it was 5pm and they were on their home from work or had to pick their children up from day-care and if they were late by helping someone else - their children would be left alone.

Where are we going? How are we evolving? As a people? as a community? Should we automatically feel fear when a car we don't recognize or a group of people we don't know enters our community? Or should we be tolerant of everyone until they prove themselves unworthy? We live in a very diverse World. So many religions and beliefs. So many different ways of life. What's normal for me may not me normal to you. Should you fear me because I think differently from you? I am from the mindset of, as long as you are not doing any harm to me or mine, I have no problem with you.

The polygamists in Texas have been in the news recently. They have their own way of life and belief system but why should I care? They have nothing to do with me. I bet if one of "theirs" had been hit by that car they sure wouldn't have stood around looking on. They would have gotten involved!

We all live with a "handicap" in one way or another. A fear of something that stops us from doing what we want. But it's always "handy" to be able to pass the blame to someone or something else.

On another note - today is Father's Day. A day to make an effort to spend some happy time with the fathers in our lives. A sad day for me and many others that no longer have their father in their lives. Although he is no longer with us physically my dad will aways be in my heart and I hope that one day I will be able to erase the guilt I carry with me, for myself and my sister.

Today - this is my handicap.