At times like these, who needs enemies?

While walking in downtown Austin today, it was hard not to wax introspective. It was a beautiful day, and frankly, being back in the States makes my day anyway. Looking at the majestic high-rise buildings surrounded by their toadying armies of squat, less ostentatious public buildings, nothing came to mind more than the people occupying said buildings.

It is easy for us, as people, not to think about the little things that make up our everyday lives. We are essentially self-centered, and worrying about the minutia of everyday life would drive anyone crazy. However, at times it's healthy to stop and think about certain aspects. Today, it was the people. Who are the people walking in and out of the buildings? What are they thinking? When they sit in their welll-furnished offices looking out over Austin, what do they see?

They wake up, eat breakfast, (hopefully) brush their teeth, take a shower, and then they disappear. They disappear into offices, into uniforms, into subway tunnels, restaurants, and schools. And, when we meet a fellow human being, we often treat them as a part of the scenery. Why? Because we have to.

I wish that I could take a random person on a street, sit down with them, and ask them about themselves. I wish that I could see everyone I meet as a human being. But then again, I'm human too. So, in the end, I don't have a solution. It's just something to think about on your way to work.