Popsicles and Crime

Nowadays, I can't even go buy a popsicle in the park across my street without being wary and conscious of the people around me. Seeing the news and hearing my parents and sisters talk about events that have happened to their friends or even themselves has made me very conscious of how dangerous buying a popsicle can be. Even though I know you have to "live for the day", I can't help remembering all the awful, outrageous things that many people in the world have endured, even on a happy, bright, sunny day on the way to the park. Rape, kidnap, murder and theft are all everyday occurance that show how violent our society had become. From the most expensive mansion in Beverly Hills to the smallest hut in a village in Africa, violence surrounds everyone. It's even in video games, movies and songs that are supposed to be our source of entertainment! All this goes through my mind as I step outside my door, deciding whether the risk is worth it.

We are living in times when the things you think are the most safe are actually the most dangerous. This makes me wonder if it has always been like this, or are we just turning worse by the minute? What kind of world is one in which you can't walk to the park without risking your life? Have we just accepted violence into our lives and instead of finding ways to stop it, just try to find ways for it not to happen to us? People have gone to great measures to avoid violent acts from happening to them. Surveillance cameras 24/7, personal bodyguards, self-defense classes, portable knives and pepper-spray are very common these days and industries just keep feeding off our fears and making huge profits out of it.

Violence is present everywhere, and images of my father being kidnapped and robbed, my car windows being broken and the stereo being stolen, sounds of alarm systems going off, of dogs chasing people, human screams and the sight of people being rolled into an emergency room after being stabbed for their cell-phone all come to my mind as I do the simple act of opening my door. As I step out, with the sun shining brightly on my face, I can only hope that I'm lucky this time and get home safely, this time with extra popsicles in a bag under my arm for days I'm not that confident and trusting on my luck.