It's breaks my heart...

I am not heartless. I just want to put that out there. In particular, there are two things that always make me sad when I see them. I didn't even know I cared about these things until I'm confronted with them and they always make me take a second to wallow in the sorrow I feel. It's very strange, but every time I am affected this way. Even if I see a movie or television show portraying these people/situations.

1) kids/teenagers being bullied by their peers

Ugh. Even just writing it and thinking about it makes me unhappy. It's strange, I don't even like kids and despite the seemingly obvious connection, I wasn't bullied as a child. Sure, I was called names and can no longer wear striped vests because of some mean comments, but I wasn't scarred. Mostly, in middle school I blended in. Or when I turned sideways I disappeared, so that helped. But seeing kids being picked on, bullied or emotionally abused really makes me want to cry. I feel extremely bad for them and sympathize/empathize (whichever one works here). While I write this I do remember being chased on the playground by some older boys who wanted to steal my bike and being so terrified. It's all coming back now. Maybe I was bullied as a child. Uh oh.

2) elderly people working menial jobs well beyond their retirement years

More often than I'd like I see elderly people working at the following places: Walmart, McDonalds, Tim Hortons, grocery stores...it breaks my heart. These people have worked their whole lives and deserve their time in the sun. I can't imagine that they work there because they want to (although I could be wrong - pah!) so they are put in this position due to their financial situation and that is so upsetting. Old people should be lawn bowling, dancing to fiddle music and meeting at the mall with their Golden Oldies gangs. To see them pushing a dozen shopping carts or serving me my donut is unfair. The only exception is when I see older people as school crossing guards. This seems okay and that they enjoy it.