Wednesday 29 August 2012

Choice, circumstance, LIFE?

Venice Beach, California. Beautiful beach, bodies, sand and sun. Seems the ideal place. A place everyone wants to be. Yet I left there with a very sad heart. So many folk walking around, laying in the sun, or just sitting who are so high I wonder if they know where they actually are. A young girl sitting on the boardwalk with a sign that simply says "HUNGRY, will take any of your left overs." I counted 6 shops advertising "Medicinal Marijuana" from U$30 to U$40 at discounted prices. Sage leaves being sold everywhere and some shops advertising "Salvia" this causes strong hallucinations and out of body experiences. As I walked around I was wondering to myself, "Could I ever allow my child to end up like some of these people who live here, on the beach, or around the corner out of the sight of the police only to return as soon as the sun is up to start their day again?" No matter what our children do to us or to society or to themselves I could never imagine allowing this to be where they end up. The sadness around this beautiful setting is tangible. As we gave this young girl a pizza slice from our "left overs" I looked her in the eyes and said God Bless you, she looked away. I gave her a bottle of water and again said God Bless you. I should have done more. I feel guilt at missed opportunity, I feel sadness for these young and old who have ended up in a situation like this. Where are their parents, children, siblings? The unseen?