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Stop and listen...
I just would like to share an incounter I had with a homeless man today. This man stopped us to have a conversation after we gave him a sandwich and some water. He tried to explain how if we stopped and listened we would see things, hear things. Help. He asks us to stay a bit longer so he could show us what we aren't hearing, so we could see the music inside him:
I sit down next to the man, I am not paying attention to anything, not the busy people on the 16th street mall, nor the loud traffic. I am watching the man, I am listening, I am stopping and listening. He lets the beat fill him, his face so pleasantly strong and passionate. I really am looking at him now. I see the tears that have fallen from his eyes since we started sitting there, I notice his nose turning a bit red from the cold. I notice /him/. He takes a big breath and starts to sing to the beat of the music playing on the resturaunt patio we are sitting next to, but sings over the words, creating his own song:
“Where is the love?
I need to stay strong,
I keep pushing forward,
But the road is so long.
I place my left foot
In front of my right,
But I’m always falling down.
I just need some help…
Yes, just a little bit of help.
Can anyone hear me?
Am I standing here alone?
Is anyone willing to walk with me
On this long, long road?
I just need a hand,
I am trying to stay strong
But I can’t find no love,
No, no, no…
I cannot find a willing hand.”
By the end of the song he was shaking and crying and I was left in tears too.
“What, what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong? I am sorry…. I am sorry.” The man pleads.
It’s too much for me, I turn around again and grab the man’s hand, crying all the while. “Thank you. Thank you so much. Your song was beautiful, I /am/ sorry.”
“Oh your hands are so cold he says,” squeezing his warm hands onto my cold ones, he lifts my hand up and gently blows warm air on them. “See now it’s alright, you don’t need to cry, it’s alright.” He smiles, and continues to rock his head to the music.
What a beautiful, beautiful! man.
I don’t think many of us are listening… we need to start listening… people are asking for help, but we aren’t hearing them. Just feel compassionate toward others, and you will hear the music.
I sit down next to the man, I am not paying attention to anything, not the busy people on the 16th street mall, nor the loud traffic. I am watching the man, I am listening, I am stopping and listening. He lets the beat fill him, his face so pleasantly strong and passionate. I really am looking at him now. I see the tears that have fallen from his eyes since we started sitting there, I notice his nose turning a bit red from the cold. I notice /him/. He takes a big breath and starts to sing to the beat of the music playing on the resturaunt patio we are sitting next to, but sings over the words, creating his own song:
“Where is the love?
I need to stay strong,
I keep pushing forward,
But the road is so long.
I place my left foot
In front of my right,
But I’m always falling down.
I just need some help…
Yes, just a little bit of help.
Can anyone hear me?
Am I standing here alone?
Is anyone willing to walk with me
On this long, long road?
I just need a hand,
I am trying to stay strong
But I can’t find no love,
No, no, no…
I cannot find a willing hand.”
By the end of the song he was shaking and crying and I was left in tears too.
“What, what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong? I am sorry…. I am sorry.” The man pleads.
It’s too much for me, I turn around again and grab the man’s hand, crying all the while. “Thank you. Thank you so much. Your song was beautiful, I /am/ sorry.”
“Oh your hands are so cold he says,” squeezing his warm hands onto my cold ones, he lifts my hand up and gently blows warm air on them. “See now it’s alright, you don’t need to cry, it’s alright.” He smiles, and continues to rock his head to the music.
What a beautiful, beautiful! man.
I don’t think many of us are listening… we need to start listening… people are asking for help, but we aren’t hearing them. Just feel compassionate toward others, and you will hear the music.
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Some times in the midst of pain and suffering, the 1st Noble Truth becomes clearer that life is suffering. There is a constant struggle for survival and comfort. Compassion develops.
It is then up to one to walk the Noble 8FP to liberation from this suffering.