Someone can be madly in love with you and still not be ready. They can love you in a way you have never been loved and still not join you on the bridge. And whatever their reasons you must leave. Because you never ever have to inspire anyone to meet you on the bridge. You never ever have to convince someone to do the work to be ready. There is more extraordinary love, more love that you have never seen, out here in this wide and wild universe. And there is the love that will be ready.
“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.”
It’s fortuitous that I would see and read this article today because just this morning I had an encounter with a homeless person.
He was sitting at the exit from the subway, saying to each person that passed by, “Can you spare a dollar or two for me?” When it was my turn for him to address me I said “Not today. Sorry” and continued on my way.
(The photo links to the original article)
Half way up the escalator I felt ashamed. I thought of Jesus’ words regarding what we do for the least of our brothers. I wondered if that was Jesus and I failed the test. Not only had I ignored this brother, but I had lied to him. He had asked if I could spare a dollar or two and I said no.
That wasn’t true. I certainly could have spared a dollar or two. I just didn’t want to. Well, that’s not entirely true. I said “no” automatically, as if by rote.
I walked the rest of the way to work thinking about what I could do differently. (Mind you, I felt bad, but my pride wouldn’t let me go back. Silly, I know, and I’m ashamed of it now.) My thought at that time was that I could put a few $1’s in my front pocket so as to be prepared for this next time. This article gave me more ideas as to what I could do.
Something was said at work today that reminded me of this:
“For my part, I refuse to hold decisions made in their youth against them, because I wouldn’t want to be held in contempt for all the decisions made by me in my youth.”
steve949 