all my friends are superheroes (except you)

u kno what? reading other people's blogs ive noticed that people use REAL english in their entries, proper grammar, sentance structure, spelling, and whatnot. ive decided, im gonna start doing that. since school is starting and all, i really gota keep up me english. so here i go.

Today, I went downtown to drop off my sister on the coaches heading back to Kingston. I noticed something while in downtown- something I've always known, but something that has never really truly struck me. Downtown, is where the gap between the rich and the poor is the greatest. What do I mean? Well, you have your wealthy businessmen and businesswomen (or businesspeople to be politically correct) driving their fancy cars including but not limited to Mercedes, BMW's, Vovlo's, and then there are those less fortunate, beggars, homeless people, and others living in poverty.
While I was down there today, a man approached me and asked me for some spare change. How did a react? I looked a way and said "sorry". I couldn't even look him in the eyes. I found that very sad. I do have sympathy for them don't get me wrong, I just can't put that sympathy into action. Something I am quite ashamed of. I think there are many people out there just like me. Perhaps you are like this too. You're not completely apathetic, you do care, you do want to see the streets cleaned up and the homeless well sheltered, but you just cannot muster up enough courage and grace to put that care into practice.
It saddens me, really. There are so many people out there that nobody cares for just because they are physically filthy, becuase they are not properly groomed, because they sport all the qualities of an inferior member of society- simply becuase they are homeless.
What really hit me hard, was when the man asked me for money. There he was, sporting nothing but filth on his face, long ungroomed hair and beard, an umbrella and a hat, asking me for money, when I had my brand name shirt, my brand new camera, my sister's guitar, and a $10 Nalgene bottle (who the heck spends $10 on a WATER BOTTLE? C'mon now! but of course, I am guilty of this as well). Even though I was so much more fortunate than him, I was still unable to spare a a looney, a quarter, a dime, a nickel, not even a penny.
What can we do for these people? Well, one major fear that prevents most people from giving them money is that they will use the money for alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and whatnot. This may be stereotyping, but I do not doubt that there are a few bad apples out there who ruin it for everyone and actually do this. However, if this is your fear, there is something you can still do. Pastor Sharon mentioned this before; you can take them to a McDonald's or any fast food restaurant for that matter, and buy them food. That way, you know that your money has not been wasted. Simple right? Wrong. Who of you out there can honestly say that you would do this? Not me.

Things like these depress me. I'm not a crazy sensitive guy, but when I see people suffering in conditions worse than my own, I get depressed. It goes beyond homelessness. Most of you know that I work in a nursing home. I had to go upstairs once, and I vowed (to myself) never to go up there again. I saw old men and women suffering. They were old, frail, and unable to do anything but sit in their wheelchairs staring at a blank wall with saliva dropping out of their mouths without them even knowing it. It got worse however. When I saw the alzheimers patients. They were the same, but worse, if that makes sense. I nearly cried. I could not take it. It was far too depressing for me. I have not been up there since.

That is it for now. I'm leaving now. I've got some physics homework to do. Which just reminds me of how fortunate I really am. I can go to school, I have a house, a loving family, many things inaccessable to many people.

Be thankful. If you can read this, you can be thankful as is. You have a computer, access to internet, you can read, you can write, you have a home.

Be thankful