I saw a man today, walking down the sidewalk, on a side street toward downtown. He had a metal halo around his head, secured by long metal rods that ran from his head down to a brace around the base of his neck. I think the halo was bolted into his skull. He was smoking a cigarette and walking away from the hospital.

It reminded me that one year in high school, one of my classmates' car hit a tree, and he had to have something like that on his body for most of the year that followed. It seemed like something from a horror movie. I couldn't imagine living each day, trying to shower and sleep with that thing on. I didn't know him well, but I felt winces of pain when I saw him.

I felt that wince again today. I think it's just a human nature type reaction. I do it when I see anyone in visible pain, or I think may be in pain. Like when my 12 year old sister broke her leg on a Friday and had to wait until Monday to have the cast put on. It took two of us to get her to the bathroom. It hurt her so much, even with that velcro thing, that I wanted to cry every time she moved. Is it empathy? Is it just the ability to feel connected to people? Is it my own becoming more aware of my own body-mind connection?

Not sure, but I do know it's more than sitting at a stop sign, waiting for someone to walk past.