The Horseshoe

TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS - SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2009

IN THE Walmart Supercenter, a memorial was fashioned for a coworker who had died. His name was Rodney Williams, and he was 59 or 60 at the time of his death.

I had some second thoughts about taking this picture; that it would be disrespectful to distribute such a private moment (despite it being very public). But I could not help but think about the statement this was making about consumerism, about America. To think that one could live, work, and die in such an environment.

It forces one to manifest questions about the purpose of one's life, one's work. How valuable we are, and how we may devaluate ourselves by adopting artificial systems.

I hope there is no question that I have compassion for Mr. Williams and his family, despite me not knowing him or them.