rosie's place

in a few weeks i'll be participating in a school event in which we will bake about 9 million pies and donate them to rosie's place for the holidays. ah, rosie's place. i love to hate you. i love that you are an amazing shelter that keeps many women safe every day.

i hate that you have to exist.

in the past i had done some volunteer work with rosie's, mostly just serving lunch/dinner, and i was amazed at how many amazing, intelligent women i encountered, all homeless, many of them victims of physical violence. it was similar to a program i worked with back in sacramento, for women who were trying to leave violent relationships. it disgusts me to no end that someone can lay a hand on another person and in the same breathe say they love them. it confuses me to no end how a person can stay with, or GO BACK (why go back?? you were FREE!) to someone who hurts them that way. what kind of mindset would you have to be in, and what little self esteem. it's heartbreaking. i realize i am SO lucky to be able to say that i have way too much pride and self respect to stay in a situation like that. and don't say i don't know. because i KNOW.

it's just been weighing on my mind lately.

i know i do my share of bitching (re:kids), but things like this give me a little perspective. my life is amazing. and i am grateful. i know baking pies is not going to save the world. but im honored to have the chance to put a little good back out into the universe. there is such need.