She scanned the room as she walked through. As usual the foyer was filled with smiling people talking, laughing, apparently enjoying themselves. No one seemed to notice her though, as she slipped through the crowd, headed towards the door. The thought rain through her head about how it might be nice to be acknowledged… to have someone in the room look her in the eyes, to have someone smile at her personally and maybe ask her how she was. For a minute she thought it might be nice.

As she approached the door she suddenly spotted someone she knew. She had talked to him on the phone a few times just a couple of months ago. He knew her brother, her family, he knew who she was. She had sat in his class several times, answering questions about the subject on hand. The girl zoomed in on him, looking at his eyes hoping to catch a glance, to get a smile. She smiled and watched as she walked closer to the door, where he was and where she was headed, she continued to smile, hoping, hoping, hoping… maybe this time her presence would be known…

Finally she reached the door. The place she was headed. He was still there, talking to someone, yet having plenty opportunity to see her and smile at her. To say hello, how are you? Good… she was right next to him, she could have reached out and touched him if she had the notion, but she kept walking. Into the door, into the sanctuary of the church. Her smile faded, her heart fell a little. She had no recognition from him as she passed in front of him. She had no smile from him, not even a little friendly look in the eye. Nothing.

The girl found her place in the crowd. She sat down silently, she looked ahead. It didn’t really matter all that much. After all, it wasn’t the first time. It wasn’t the first time that she had been ignored by her youth pastor.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::