San Francisco

So I spent the last few days in San Francisco. It was interesting, lots to see and of course I went to Alcatraz.
Something that stuck out,though, was the amount of homeless. It was everywhere. Not just in the toursist sections, not just in the downtown core, not just in the slum sections but everywhere.
What struck me more was the indifference. I was told you would go broke yourself if you gave every "bum" a dollar. I was also told ...."they just buy booze with it anyways". I was shocked when the tour bus driver joked about the "homeless" as one of the attractions.
I don't know...I don't think most of those people I walked by were happy sitting on the curb, no way of keeping clean, wearing the same dirty clothes or hoping it doesn't get to cold that night.
What ripped at my heart the most is when I talked to one fellow sitting on the sidewalk. I didn't talk to him long, just enough to look in his eyes and recognize he was a person who felt indifferent about other people as well. He thanked me in a low sad voice and we went our seperate ways.
I walked away grateful for what I have to go back to. It was a reminder to stay vigilant about having compassion for others and acting on that compassion.
I believe it is luck that has put me where I am today and bad luck can put me on the street just like the guy I met in San Fran. I am no different then he is.
I know that sounds like a pretty simplistic statement but it is the truth with all the if, ands, and buts trimmed away.
All for now ,
Sifu Masterson