Two-fer Tuesday: Faces by Deacon Blue

Faces in the crowd.

They’re easy to miss, aren’t they?

One person among a mass of folks. We see the multitude, but we miss the particular human.

Or do we? Have we missed that person, or intentionally averted our eyes?

Think about it. If you see someone sexy in a crowd, you often pick him or her out of the masses, don’t you, and you keep watching a while, right? If there is someone who annoys you or amuses you, you focus on that person well enough, and probably keep watching the person so that you can riff on him or her with your friends.

But what about the person who looks like they really need help? Maybe someone who’s standing by a dead car in a busy parking lot, and you don’t bother to take a few minutes to use the jumper cables in your trunk to help. Maybe someone who clearly is in need of food or shelter, and you won’t spare a measly couple bucks in your wallet to help. Or someone at work who could clearly use a friendly ear at lunchtime, but you decide to leave your lunch in the fridge and go out rather than lend that ear.

I’ve done that myself. That’s why I picked the examples I did. And it shames me how many times I’ve done all three of those things. And how many other faces in the crowd have I ignored? I don’t have the courage to count them all.

(Image from University of British Columbia Web site)

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