The Invisible Woman

Our lap dogs, Vanilla (Nillie) and Ginger being walked by Paul Ocheltree with Steve Ocheltree (right) and Andrew Ocheltree (rear) Bruce Ferri walks Arthur, the St. Bernard (rear left)

My "invisible woman" outfit: a polka-dot bathrobe, lime green pajama pants, Yosemite commemorative socks and leopard print house slippers

I unwittingly conducted a social experiment yesterday morning at Pismo Coast Village, where we are staying in our trailer. It was about 8:30 a.m. and our two little lap dogs, Ginger and Nillie, needed to be walked for their morning constitutional. We are relaxing here at the coast, and I didn't feel like getting dressed to take the dogs out to go potty, so I just emerged in my polka-dot bathrobe, with lime green pajama pants, Yosemite commemorative socks and a pair of leopard print house slippers. Usually, when I walk two cute little dogs, I get lots of smiles and nods and compliments. But yesterday morning I got an interesting response from passers-by: nothing. When I would try to catch the eye of a fellow walker or the man driving the maintenance cart over by the park office, I found people politely averting my gaze, focusing on steering wheels or asphalt or their own business. I had become invisible in my bright, clashing nightclothes. I suppose some people wondered if I had wandered away from the RV without permission, that my family would find me soon and return me to the safe confines of the little gated yard outside our trailer. Others, out of politeness or personal embarrassment, decided not to call attention to my night clothes. Later in the day, after I took my shower and got dressed, I became visible again. People smiled and nodded and acknowledged me along the walking path. It gave me a small taste of what it must be like to be invisible, to be in the middle of a crowd yet to be ignored, to be considered beneath the dignity of notice or at least hopelessly awkward to notice.

There are circumstances that place people in those "invisible" positions: homelessness, disfigurement, not fitting in, having tattoos or dreadlocks or felony convictions or being gay in a Baptist church. Fortunately, society seems to be getting more conscious of certain "awkward" conditions that used to make people "invisible". Efforts are being made to be more tolerant, inclusive and accepting of people who were formerly marginalized or openly shunned.

What about the church of Jesus Christ? How are we doing with "invisible" people? How did Jesus respond to the "invisible" people of his day: lepers, prostitutes, convicted felons, misfits?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
Luke 4:18-20 (New King James Version)

--Posted by Mama O.