We are blind. Oblivious. Distracted. Uninterested. And often unable to see the world around us. How can we help it? How do we not take places, faces and people (even those we love) for granted – seeing them day after day? We get used to what we see and we stop seeing it.
Parking lots, telephone poles, chain link fences, rusty signs, vacant lots, blank looks, oddballs, tents… they are so ubiquitous they are invisible. Like wallpaper for the mind. Over time, in plain sight becomes out of sight.
Ride the bus. Open your eyes. Look around. The view is amazing.
“Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything.” – Charles Kuralt
Likewise, it is also possible to travel from one end of Bus 75 to the other without seeing anything. On the other hand, you can observe plenty if you care (and dare) to look closely. You can see decay and renewal, despair and hope, past and future.
It’s plain that we often fail to see what’s most important and right in front of us.
I live close to the #75 and use the bus frequently. I love seeing what a differenct set of eyes notices along the route.
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A phone booth? Must be the last one in Portland.
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