Confessions of a PCV:

Sometimes I am filled with extreme irritation, impatience and perhaps even disgust when I see a bony-looking dog pick through meager garbage, or I see a child “play” with something as humble as a scrap of metal. Disgust at whom or what, I don’t exactly know. It certainly is not the fault of the dog or child, though they unfairly are the ones subjected to the judgments.

It’s a pity, combined with helplessness that makes me feel so, I think. A pity for the child, the dog, yes – but also, pity for the more fortunate creatures who cannot/do not fully appreciate the splendors they inherit on a daily basis, as well as the fact that they, too, cannot find pleasure/satiation in such humble objects.

I sometimes wish I did not have to see such instances. But there are other times when I feel blessed to be such a witness and involved person.