I went to a park, sat on a bench with my notebook and began observing. I wanted to go somewhere with many people, and a large variety of people. Students walking to and from class, employees rushing to work cutting through the park as a shortcut, cars zipping past, families walking to dinner, and the group of homeless people collected at the front of the park.

For the first couple of minutes in the park I just watched people go about their lives. I observed how some people walk with their heads down, looking at their feet or their phone. Some people walk with headphones in, and others walk without them. Some people walk alone, some people walk in huge groups. Some people take their time getting to their destination and enjoy the walk while others are speed walking, either late or irritated with the slow walkers in front of them. 

A man with gray matted hair, baggy clothes and what looks like the weight of the world on his shoulders walks past me while I sit on the bench. He stops in his path by a trash can, turns to it, and starts rummaging through the garbage hoping to find something to eat, a luxury he has not had for what seems like days. He looks around him in embarrassment, trying to see if anyone is looking at him. A group of guys walks toward the trashcan the man is standing at, and as they walk past him they look at him with judgemental eyes and suppress their laughter. At what I have no idea. What could possibly be funny? As the group of guys walk past me on the bench I decide to be nosy and listen to their conversation. “Drug addict.” “No sympathy. He was asking for it.” “Just get a job. He’s so lazy.” After a few minutes with no luck he gives up and continues walking down the sidewalk, shoulders slumped, head down walking back to the front of the park. 

This space was perfect for observing people naturally and see how they act when they believe no one is watching. It is easy for people who aren’t in a situation like that to make assumptions about the people who are, and the people above are perfect examples of that. I have never understood how anyone can whole-heartedly believe that people who are homeless have had that situation brought on by themselves. Observing this space not only allowed me to see the teenage boys for who they were, how they thought about the homeless man, and there wild assumptions about a situation that is so much more complex than what they believe. But it also allowed me to see the homeless man. Where was his family, did he have one? Kids? A Spouse? How long has he been homeless and how did he get here? All these unanswered questions that can only be confirmed by him. This is why we can’t blindly judge someone, because they are truly the only ones who know every step that led to this life instead of yours.