Humble Pie

The Magic is all around us – I know this. I bear witness every single day. It would be a miracle if it were once or twice or even three times a lifetime, a YEAR! But no every day – the miracle of love and life and faith reveals itself to me, to us, to humanity constantly.

And whist I acknowledge all that is bad, evil, violent, “wrong,” in the world today, in our time, in our past, and all that is BAD that will happen tomorrow – I ACCEPT all this is good, I recognize all the love, I hear, listen, see, feel, and BELIEVE all that is faith driven, that is HOPE filled, and I am humbled by  all the humans who strive to make today TODAY a better moment, life, experience, for someone, everyone, ALL “ones,” ALL ONES.

And how is it – how IS IT? That as selfish and self FULL and SELF focused as I, how is it – that I am CONSTANTLY blessed BLESSED to bear witness to such love

And the story goes….

After a week of adventure and friendship and LOVE and family my sister friend left today, off she went to enjoy her weekend with her sister on the coast of Kenya. And sad was I, sad, lost my friend to the time allotted us, and she is off and out until we meet again in Windy City.  Pouting, yes pouting, through market that we shopped every day for dinner, and discussed meals and memories and future memories and all that is beautiful with Nairobi, and Kenya, and Kenyans, and Life…I pouted…

I decided to treat myself to lunch and a drink, at the same table and the same café where one week ago we sat and I welcomed her to the magic of Nairobi….

As I got to “my table,” the half inside/half outside table, the table I sit to breathe fresh air but not be seen, yet I know it is on the sidewalk so everyone does see me, MY TABLE, I noticed a woman sitting alone at the next inside table, American I presumed by her dress and high lights and make up. I gave her a glance but no eye contact – none – dropped my bags, pouted my order to Arnold, the server, and left to wash my hands.

Upon my return the American woman engaged me (of course she did she is American), she had figured out that I was sitting at “my table” and I was most probably a regular – sigh, I thought: can I not just pout alone, can I not just be pouty and not have to listen to some expat go on and on about something or other – no no, NEVER ….Lutheran Guilt sets in…without introductions, WITH curtness and weariness I invite her to my table - she jumps and scurries over to sit across from me – of course she does, I think to myself OF COURSE SHE DOES...

After niceties and all I am banished to that place where all those like me must sit and eat humble pie and wear a dunce cap, the place where surely I should be chained, the place that I have frequented so much in my lifetime my name is engraved on a brass plate to mark my particular corner where I time and time and time again I must learn to expect goodness and not promote the cynicism of a false reality, that everyone is annoying and I should be left alone….

I ended up in my corner, because this woman accomplished more in her 40 years on the planet than most people accomplish, this woman truly was an example of HERO.

I promise you, I tell you not enough to convince you but you must believe me, and she spoke with humility and excitement for her work…. the more I CRIED the more she knew we were of “like minds,” and she told more of her story, her beautiful story. She showed me pictures of her husband, her children, described her life in such detail I kept looking away to hide the tears – such a magical BEAUTIFUL authentic lovely intelligent daring faithful HUMAN.

She told me how she decided instead of working in the publishing world, she started volunteering at a hospital in Brooklyn, NY and was struck by the plight and heartache of pregnant refugees and immigrants who were alone, confused, unable to communicate in English, scared, nervous – she became a patient advocate, she decided to look after women during and through their pregnancies. (did I mention she has several degrees including an MBA?).

Among many things she started the first men-who-have-sex-with-men HIV prevention program in West Africa. Yes, she did! In Togo…and the story – the story! How did I get to meet this woman?

Currently she is leading a project for sexual health/family planning at Universities here in Nairobi. And that story reminded me of my work with After School Matters back in Chicago and Advancing Youth Project in Liberia. She had AMAZING anecdotes regarding her work and how youth were responding to “life planning,” and building plans for their futures.

I could NOT get enough I could not. Inspired, Grateful, Love, this HUMAN – how could I not be overwhelmed with her passion and spirit….oh and a Wife and a Mother! Oh yes. And her love was real – oh she showed off her husband and talked of HIS good work as if she was just going about her day.

Just beyond lovely – beyond intelligent and “worldly,” and sensitive, and invested in HUMANITY.

So small SO small did I feel sitting in that corner.

So yes – I insisted she put me to work – paint walls, listen to students, find a way to utilize my skills to aid her project – and I would not take no for an answer.

All of that to say – ALL of that to say: There is GOOD NEWS. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE. WE can hold EACH other accountable. I believe that – I believe in some way this woman, as a member of my community held me accountable and said, yes YES we all need to be doing good work.

So I am committed - in honor of my fellow American, in honor of my fellow Human – to get back to doing the Good work and spreading the Good news and holding myself and my fellow humans accountable.

God Bless all those humans in the world doing the Good Work for no awards, credits, accolades, articles, etc….working towards Good for the sake of us ALL, All us Ones.

PS. Somehow she bamboozled me and paid for MY lunch – yea, that happened – I am stuffed on Humble Pie.