Man under tree

There is a man who stands under a tree in the Quad at the UW. Everyday he has a new white sign with a provoking question or statement. And he just stands there. In a black jacket, hood covering his head. He waits for someone to come talk to him. Today his sign read, "What is the difference between you and me?"

There is no difference. Not really. Perhaps we have familial, financial, or situational differences. Different experiences. But in the long run, there isn't much that separates us.

He is an individual worthy of love and respect. So are we. So are you.

One day I'm going to talk to Man under tree. Then he will no longer be Man under tree. He will have a name. Too often I am lost in the ocean of people surrounding me. Only faces. Never people. We interact at doors and in lines and as we maneuver our way through the crowded walkways. Brief moments of contact. Too often we forget that the person we held the door open for has an entire world inside his or her head.