DO IT NOW DO IT NOW DO IT NOW …. I sat in the train station with a little bag of fresh food to be my lunch on the train. A homeless man with teeth on the top of his mouth and none on the bottom sat dozing and making little comments in the row behind me. A real battle was raging in my heart between my desire to share my lovely food with him and the fact that I was nervous and even a little afraid. He looked dirty and scary and kind and welcoming. I struggled for several moments, finally picking up my food and walking back to His seat. Turns out that sharing breakfast in the train station with Ernest, a homeless poet, was the highlight of my day. I shared sweet, juicy strawberries and melon, pesto and salsa and crackers from my mom. Ernest shared his poetry and his stories, frequently ensuring my attention by asking, “Ya know what I mean?”
Growing up in Seattle, he had fruit trees in the yard and he cooked great-smelling food to share with neIghbors. Ernest has 11 sisters. The sister who “took him around” was the one he loved deeply. She didn’t tell him she had agent orange-induced cancer from a stint in Vietnam. She recently died. Ernest cried. The same matter of fact voice described time spent in prison and how various street drugs made him feel.
He proudly explained the meaning of his name: Ernest means honest, trustworthy and faithful.
The most impactful part of our moments together was watching and listening to how it felt for him to be ignored while requesting hospital treatment, after being attacked on the street. Being ignored was a story that went deep for me. How many people feel this reality? Requests, needs, thoughts and feelings that slide past deaf ears. Do our eyes focus forward, as we walk past lives that feel messy or different from our own?
Ernest didn’t ask me for anything. We shared breakfast and thoughts together in the train station. Because of his light, laughter and smile, I hopped on the train richer and fuller. To paraphrase Og Mandino, in Scroll 1 of Greatest Salesman, today there was beautiful, juicy fruit (emotional and physical) that Ernest and I could share. Lesson learned: save myself some stress and DO IT NOW sooner … Ya know what I mean?
Sweet blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News.
Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Appreciate it http://nasi.my/user/profile/44162
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Thank you for your kind comment. I’m sorry but I can’t be helpful about Yahoo News. I don’t know how to get there?? Good luck and have fun on your quest.
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Such a rich and descriptive moment with another lovely soul.
Awesome blog Miriam. I look forward to more.
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Thank you for the kind words Deanna. I’m beginning to reign in some of the details and fun of this and sort the experience into a few boxes!
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I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was curious what all is required to get set up?
I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very web savvy so I’m not 100% positive. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you http://www.warf.fr/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=4579
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Evangeline, go on the WordPress site and start the process. It’s free and you will learn and grow, as you go. Have fun!!
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I love this, so inspiring. It’s so amazing to see how our fears ad worries are actually just holding us back from experiencing amazing people in the world!
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Thank you so much Ashleigh! We had a lovely moment and I look forward to more as I muster the DO IT NOW courage to follow where I’m being lead. Great track to be on.✅
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Wonderful story with a good lesson to learn! Talking to other people is quite harmless but can really enrich our World.
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Thank you Monica. Mustering courage requires serious reprogramming… but the payoff is good! Excited for more.
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Wow Mariam that was a beautiful blog and such a wonderful thing you did with sharing your breakfast. We never know the other story unless we make an effort and you truly did. Blessings!
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Thank you for your kind words, Susie. We never know the surprises that await and the lovely rewards when we’re willing to get off the fence and take a risk! Enjoy your day. Blessings
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Greetings! Very helpful advice within this article!
It’s the little changes which will make the biggest changes.
Thanks for sharing!
My webpage: beatrader.net
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I’m trusting that the faithfulness to the process is creating the changes and that I will move toward the passion and fun! Thank you!
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