Calloused

I was recently reading an article about callouses and the causes. It stated that the hardened skin is a result of friction, wear on the skin, frequent usage. The end result is protection from the force or action that is causing the skin to react with a thicker, harder layer. Interesting. I am thinking about calloused people. Maybe I am one of them. Has the world rubbed me wrong causing me to bristle? Have people hurt me causing me to protect my heart? Is it wrong to form a layer, a covering around your life so the roughness of the world can't get in? I don't know. With all the destruction from the hurricane I see people who may have been calloused by life, yet there is a desire to offer help. I am sure there are some who will refuse help and refuse to offer help, but that has not been the images I have seen displayed on the screen. People who had nothing to begin with. People who had everything to lose. Every race, size, color, but all with red blood flowing in their veins. Calloused. There will be work required beyond human ability. There will be sights to see that will alter one's perspective for eternity. There will be smells one can never lose. There will be a face, a voice, a cry, a need, one's mind can never forget. There will be an instant when the life of the day will get under the callous and cause pain, but the hurt will be felt in the heart. The burn will heal. The rough edges will remain to teach one never to be numb to the pain of a fellow man, but will give protection when it all becomes too difficult to get the job done.