Dear Friends:
This happened last week. I do not remember what day. I blogged that evening, but fell asleep before I could finish it and post it.
So, a random day last week:
3:00 p.m. Belmont Library:
Another incredibly lovely day. It is surreal, this weather we have been having lately. The sun is blinding. I wish I could find my sunglasses.
But I am determined to be present in this moment. The clouds will come, swollen with rain. The skies will turn gray. And it will be damp for months.
At least that is how it has been in the days of the past.
I have noticed that I have been feeling stronger and more energetic lately. I believe it is mostly due to my increased activity. Fall term is in full swing. I am teaching three days a week, plus one evening of choir practice. And I am walking more.
I do love to walk. But I am mindful of my stride. No more sauntering! I put on my sneakers in the morning, load up my backpack, and hit the road. The muscles in my legs are burning, my feet are aching, but I keep on. Because I feel awake and alive!
Perhaps it is also due to the CPAP. I am averaging 6 to 7 hours of deep sleep a night. A big improvement!
Alas, my sense of smell has disappeared again. But that is a small price to pay for all this energy!
It certainly helps in my babysitting of my 13 month-old granddaughter!
Yesterday was lovely. Sunday is one of my favorite days. I popped out of bed loaded my gym bag with my bible, prayer journal and Kindle and briskly walked to the bus stop. I hopped on the Vine and stepped off a mere 8 minutes later, walked across the street and into the gym.
I walked in and smiled. It is a highpoint in my day when I actually make it to the gym! I had 30 minutes until church began. The church I am attending these days is next door to the gym. Quite convenient!
I did about 15 minutes on the stationary bike, while getting caught up with the news on one of the flat screen televisions. Then I did some weights, freshened up and walked next door.
The music for service had begun. But people linger outside of the sanctuary, sipping free coffee and tea and eating pastries. I grabbed a cup of coffee and found an empty table. My new routine is to drink coffee while I do my morning bible reading. Then I write in prayer journal, while listening to the band play praise songs.
I spend some time praying for people and then I gather my things and head into the sanctuary in time for the sermon.
It is a large church. And the sanctuary is rather dark. I like the feeling of worshiping anonymously. Lately the sermons have really resonated with me. I am considering becoming more involved. This church has a missions to reach out to the community, helping those in need and spreading the news of the Gospel. I like helping people. I am feeling a stirring inside to come out of my anonymous state. But for now, I am happy where I am.
I usually slip out shortly before the end of the service to meet my daughter and Gracie. We usually stop at the grocery store and plan meals for the week.
Then I watch Gracie while my daughter and son-in-law go to volleyball.
A lovely way to spend a Sunday! :)
10:41 p.m. C-Tran Bus #60 Delta Park to Vancouver: Traveling the back roads, trying to find an open on-ramp to I-5. The bus driver is talking to dispatch on the loudspeaker. These late night interstate bus trips are always an adventure.
I will be getting home late tonight. I plan on heading straight to bed after I brush my teeth.
I could have missed the excitement. But I have no regrets. I chose to hit the gym after my last student tonight. I had a good day teaching, as usual. My work humbles me. I have a new student. He is in middle school. Exceptionally bright and hard working. Today was our third lesson. After struggling with a difficult passage, he turned to me and said he only had a small keyboard at home, which made it difficult to practice.
11:04 p.m. Downtown Vancouver. Bus stop. Waiting for "The Vine". A man with dirty clothes, shaggy shoulder length dirty blonde hair and vivid blue eyes asked if anyone had a dollar they could spare. I knew I had exactly that I my purse. One dollar.
I told him I would help him if I could. But I was broke too. No-one else said a word.
"I am not a bum!" exploded the shaggy haired man passionately.
The few other people at the stop looked up from their cell phone screens. They did not look at shaggy-hair, but glanced around nervously at each other.
Then we heard sobbing. Shaggy Hair was sobbing uncontrollably. My heart went out to him. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, palms covering his face. Crying like a baby.
Just then the Vine pulled up. I reached in my purse and pulled out my last dollar. I walked over and stood in front of Shaggy Hair. He looked up, his blue eyes even more breathtaking magnified by his tears.
I smiled at him. He smiled back. I handed him the dollar. He stretched his hand out and looked at it for a moment.
"God bless you, sister", he whispered.
I felt a warmth in the center of my chest. Perhaps that is where the soul resides.
But as I boarded the Vine, it spread to my neck and face. I felt light headed. I felt joy. I felt peace. It was deep and profound. It was spiritual.
I believe we were both touched by the Holy Spirit. I felt Love between the shaggy haired man and I. Spiritual, sacred, unbounded Love.
It had nothing to do with the dollar. I doubt that could have bought him much. But it was the caring. Acknowledging another human being. And giving what I had to help someone who was down.
I think he was crying because he realized how others perceived him. A bum, begging for money. I don't know his back story, but I'm sure there is more to him than that. I hope that I gave him a bit of hope in my small gesture. His raw gratitude is something I will never forget.
It says in the Bible that God is Love. These earthly encounters give me a glimpse of probably a fraction of the essence of God.
God who is Love. With a capital L.
Talk to you soon!
Love,
Zita
P.S. I've been continuing with daily exercise. Walking, hooping and/or a brief gym workout. Battling yet another sinus infection, but still standing!
Here is me hooping the other day before the sun came up. Day 393!
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