I had an honest-to-god epiphany today.
The kind that forever alters your world view. Well.. mine anyway.
I was just sitting in my car. Stopped at a light. Headed to Golden State Activewear to pick up some Tshirts. I look out my window and see this woman standing on the curb. And I think to myself "That woman is thin and healthy... but she probably can't fight." Suddenly I feel this wave of resposibility wash over me. Holy crap. 98% of the population can't fight. And they don't even think about it. It's up to the 2% of us who can and do to protect them.
So that sounds like a blanket statement.
I don't think I have to go out and be a superhero.
I'm having trouble putting this into exact words.
It was that feeling that washed over me. That sudden sense of not being able to stand back and do nothing while someone suffers some kind of physical altercation. I suddenly felt responsible for all the little guys in the world. All the women standing on street corners or walking down alleys about to get mugged. All the guys in clubs getting pushed around or kids getting bullied in the schoolyard. Like... suddenly I could DO something about that. I have this new skill.. this ability to intimidate and dominate and even win if I were in a fight! I could actually defend someone!
It hit me pretty hard. I see people now. Like... they exist. You'd have to know my worldview to know what that means. But it's important.
Things are different now.