Ok, the reason why I’m bringing up this topic is because for this school year, for my art class we have to create a portfolio based on a theme. And I decided to do mine on the hard times of life. The reason why I even decided to do this topic is because this is subject is something that is swept under the rug so many times. I mean, why does society always do this? It’s like the mention of domestic abuse, spousal abuse, homelessness, gang violence, or even the loss of a soldier, is always a hush-hush conversation.

I mean why is the death of a celebrity ever more important than the loss of someone who died to defend our country? Why do we not recognize the people that actually did something to protect us? Are we just that so engulfed with these celebrities and their lives that we hardly even pay attention to what’s going around in ours? I’m sure that every kid has seen that one loner that always sits in the back of the class, walks around by themselves, had strange bruises everywhere and we never even bothered to ask them what their name was?

Why do we ignore the silent cries from this child when we know that there’s something wrong? Why do we shy away from looking into this child’s eyes and seeing the pain, the hurt, the suffering, and the emotional destruction that we know is there but yet we do nothing about it. What about the little girl who lost her dad to the war and every time they have father’s day at her school all the other kids make fun of her for not having a daddy, then she runs off while the teacher is still looking after her and does nothing about it?

What about the boy who watched his brother die from a drive by from a rival gang when he was three? Then seeing the people who killed his brother walking down the street and follows them in order to get revenge. Then all the sudden a big fight breaks out, and that boy loses his life to gang violence and no one even tried to help until it was too late. Why do we not help the lower class? Does their social class automatically make them worthless?

What about the woman who runs away from a place that she thought was to be a safe sanctuary for to retreat to but now can never go back because she’s afraid her husband will find her and maybe this time she won’t be as lucky and won’t be able to call her mother and tell her that “she’s fine” when the truth is, is that she’s dying inside. If she ran past you would you even help? Would you even try? What if she even just asked you for a ride to a police station, would you give it to her? Or would you just watch her run into the distance and just see nothing but else but a figure just slowly shrinking into the distance.

What about the homeless man that sits against the brick wall and asks for change. Looking into his eyes and seeing the anguish, shame, and pain he’s going through right now. What if that was you? Having to go up to people asking for money and watching people laugh at you in your face and the only thing they can say is get a job. Every day on the bus we drive by the homeless shelters and last Tuesday I saw a man who had took a little puppy into his care. Even though he doesn’t have a home, he still tries to give this little puppy a better life. Even if he doesn’t have food, shelter, or anyone else in this world, that puppy will always love him for him no matter what.

And that made me think that even at the hardest times in someone’s life; they still try and give a better life to something else. Whether that be an animal, a person, or even just a little rag doll. I saw a grandmother cradling her granddaughter as she cried because her little rag doll fell apart, and I remember just wishing I could magically sew it back together but I couldn’t. And it made me mad to know that we’re out here trying to feed children in other countries when really we should focusing on the situation on the home front. Let’s focus on the children starving here before we go out and start feeding other kids!

I mean come on! Can we please focus on OUR problems right now?! Really, aren’t we all the same? Weren’t we taught at some point to treat everyone fairly and that everyone is equal? What happened to that? We’re so wrapped up in our Lady GaGa’s and Justin Bieber’s and our Beyonce’s and saying that these are real role models when really their not. What are they doing in their community to make it better? Absolutely nothing. It’s time that we get back to idealizing real people for what they’ve done and stop listening to all the bull**** in the media.


If this rant made you think or if it made you mad or even if you can relate to this in anyway please let me know. Leave a comment down below and I'll try to comment back as soon as possible. Just remember that you can take the first step, and you can always make a difference where you live. And don't think that you can't because you can.

Thank you for your time,

Caitlyn