Sea Bass, Street People & Me.
So I polished off a $21 piece of sea bass and headed down the street with my wife. As I walked through the streets of Philadelphia I passed a homeless man in a sleeping bag lying on a sidewalk grate. It was 38 degrees and windy.
I just walked passed him.
To me, something seemed wrong about that picture. That is, my just finishing a piece of $21 fish and an $8 glass of wine while this dude is in the street.
I don't know what elements and incidents led to this person's situation but it just struck me as wrong; me eating like a king while he sleeps in the street.
Tonight I gave away my spaghetti to the first guy I passed and then we gave my wife's rigatoni to the next guy.
I feel better.
Nothing changed, but I go to sleep tonight feeling better or would I feel worse knowing that nothing has changed.
I wonder if I gave the food to them so they'd feel better or so that I would feel better?
I know the answer.
It makes me wonder how much of what I do is for me?
I'm not saying that it is bad or that I am loadd down with guilt.
I'm just recognizing what is real.
5 Comments:
We do what we can do, when we can do it, as we are able. That's all there is - there's nothing more.
We will always have the poor with us. If you live in a country with 35%+ unemployment and where even 70% of employed people live in poverty you quickly realize that you can't change the world by feeding one person, you need to aim higher up. Change your way of thinking about people that work for you, pay proper salaries, fight bigotry, vote for the party that uses our tax money best, complain when government is corrupt, educate those that you have influence over and yourself...
The list goes on and on. If you watch the movie about coach Carter you’d get an idea of what is needed in a place like the US which is the land of milk and honey compared to Africa. The task here is similar but much more frightening in its incredible immensity.
Perhaps giving "for you" is part of the indwelling of the spirit, he won't let you feel good about yourself unless you help others...
Phil 1:18 The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached...(Could this be said of "being" Christ as well?)
The poor will be with us always. I’ve pondered that for many years. My conclusion is that some of the poor are here meeting their own ways (karma). But since I believe that many souls volunteer for circumstances that are for the benefit of other souls, many souls come here willing to offer an opportunity for spiritual growth to others. Jesus is the prime example of spiritual altruism at work. Mother Teresa, Gandhi and Mandela are more recent examples.
Being physically poor but spiritually rich is far better than the other way around because money and things can’t be taken home with us.
When we first start to do good, the ego makes us feel good and important. As we grow spiritually and the ego becomes our servant rather than our master, the feeling of goodness doesn’t come from a benevolent deed. We feel good all the time and just do what we can when we can without judgment of our action. Spirit is one and judges not.
I’m still on that path where actions make me feel good. But as Akilesh said on another blog, “It takes as long as it takes.”
Thanks Aki for your inspirational words and thanks for the opportunity to express myself here.
Namaste.
I think we offer what we can - when we can. We cannot take on the masses but we minister one by one. Does it make a huge difference - yes - to one life! And God is honoured
be blessed
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