In these times of economic problems for so many people I always notice how the waitresses are bearing up and carrying on. Many have problems of health or the health of relatives or children to deal with. They also often have bosses who realize that such women are now easy to bully because of the state of the job market. And some of those bosses do just that.

Our very familiarity with common things often prevents us noticing such treasures as they contain, particularly people treasures. We always underestimate what is always near and familiar. As a great Master once said, “A prophet is nowhere without honor save in his own country.”

I have mentioned the psychological phenomenon of skitoma, a form of blindness that prevents people from seeing what they don't expect. This happens in life as well as art.