Like An Ostrich

I am an ostrich. This I know. I would like to change that aspect of myself but I haven't gotten around to working on it yet. I say I'm an ostrich because I have a tendancy to stick my head in the sand. (Oh, and I know they don't really do that). Anyway, when Wendy told me there were 55 people in the homeless group she works with, I was a little shocked. I hadn't realized there were that many in just one of our little suburb cities. I'm not sure why I'm shocked as I've heard the statistics for LA & San Bernardino Counties before. I don't see them though. There are a few people that I see often while I'm riding my bike around and a couple that was living along the tracks I run on. Did I think they were the only ones? No, honestly, I tried not to think about it.

When I took the train into LA a few weekends ago, it was depressing to see the camps that were set up underneath the overpasses. And when I first started riding on the River Ride path, I was shocked to see so many people living in camps along there too. It made me sad and a little guilty. It seemed wrong that so many expensive bikes were riding past them when they had nothing. But what could I do? I couldn't buy them a house or a car. I could give them money but it wouldn't be much and then they would be right back where we started. So I would feel overwhelmed and do nothing. And bury my head in the sand so I wouldn't have to think about it.

Which is what I've done in the past regarding my weight, and M, and work, and my mom, and my debt. Luckily, I finally started dealing with all those things and I'm in a good place where they are concerned. Except for M but he's a whole other story.

On a more fun note...Kelly loved the scarf. Also, I'm taking pictures of a birthday party tomorrow and Sunday is Terry & Bre's engagement/bridal shower so it's a full weekend.