It’s the first day of Sidewalks for staff, and I’m feeling good. Today I was walking down the street, and I saw an elderly man with tan skin walking very slowly. He was weighed down on his right side by what looked like
a very heavy bag. I assumed that along with the the physical load that he was hauling, he was probably carrying many emotional burdens. As Danny, Andrew and I promptly passed him on his left before a large tree in the sidewalk, I made sure that I acknowledged him. Even as we swiftly brushed by him, I made sure to look him in his eyes, even just for a brief second, because I wanted him to know that I believed he had dignity. I wanted him to know that even though he didn't really look “important”, I believed that he had value. So I said “hello”. And then I turned away and kept walking forward.
When I was already one or two paces ahead of him, I heard a surprising response. The old man called out to me with compassion in his voice “God bless”. It caught me by surprise. I thought I was the one with something to offer him. How could a man who walks like that offer me something, anything? I have much to learn in the city, from people I might never expect to learn from. What would I have learned from him if I had approached him wanting to learn from him, instead of feeling like I am the only one with something to offer?
Life happens on the sidewalk. And that’s where I’ll spend my summer. Learning that I have much more to receive than I have to give.
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