Today I saw the saddest thing....

I think today was one of those life-changing days that will make me see the world a little differently. The Farmers market started today and I showed up (late as usual) at about 7am. I noticed a homeless man sleeping on a park bench about 100 yards away from my booth and thought nothing of it. How often have we passed a homeless man sleeping in the park after all? 

Anyway, the day went on and I was completly distracted by kettle corn, market sales, and iced coffees to even notice that he never moved. I was there until two, packed and left, and somehow never noticed that he never moved. 

It wasn't until around six tonight, when I was heading past the park again to meet Chris for dinner, that I noticed the ambulance and fire truck loading him onto a gurney. Nobody had any idea how long he had been there with his jacket over his face. What kind of culture have we created where somebody can die on a bench during a happy festival with a thousand people walking a foot away from him, and not a single person even notice? 

It completly disqusts me that I saw him, knew he was homeless so obviously needed help, and didn't think twice about it. What makes me the saddest now, is that I don't know where to start to make the situation better.

 I've been bringing water to the men at the freeway off-ramps on the way to school for the past few days. Next week should I bring iced waters and wake all the homeless people up to make sure they're alive? I doubt they would like that. Even if I did discover someone who needed an ambulance what then? How long had they been there when I came along? I just hate it so much. I think that it doesn't matter what kind of life you have lived, addictons you have struggled with, or what kind of hand you have been delt, NOBODY desearves that. But what can I honestly do to help? I hate this feeling. I've found a problem, now what am I going to do about it to fix it???