Freefalling In Toronto

Edition #60 — August 30, 2004

I had a most interesting experience last week during a trip to Toronto to visit friends and take care of some business. I usually have great luck and timing on these expeditions and am able to accomplish everything on my "to do" list, and then some. But this time it was not to be.

Circumstances arose which prevented my accomplishing most of what I'd gone to Toronto for. My evening was booked, but I wound up with two full days without an agenda. Freefalling like a feather in the wind, I was moved only by the gusts of impulse and whim, since my planned duties — as I saw them — could not be fulfilled anyway.

Free To Serve

An interesting pattern emerged. Everywhere I went, people were asking me for help. One woman asked me to do some web design work for her; another asked me how to get started with computer recording; another woman asked me to proof-read her resume; another woman asked me to teach her how to play guitar. (Hey, wait a minute! What's with all these women?)

The best experience I had came as I was getting off the Spadina streetcar (aka a "trolley", or "tram"). An old Chinese woman tapped me from behind and just handed me her grocery bags. She spoke no English but through physical gestures, she conveyed that she needed help to stand up and get off the streetcar, as well as to cross the street since the streetcar was dropping us off on a concrete slab "island" in the middle of the very busy intersection . Oh, and she also needed someone to carry her groceries for her.

And so we walked, me in front and her behind, holding on to my body as she directed our progress.

When we got to the end of the island at the main intersection, I pointed to the South side of the road, she shook her head. I pointed North and she smiled and nodded. And so together we crossed to the North side.

Freedom

What I enjoyed about the experience was that it caught me by surprise. I didn't have a "stock reaction" for this kind of situation, so I just responded to the moment by becoming an appendage to her need.

Once she was safely back on the sidewalk, she looked at me and smiled, saying "Thank you! Thank you!" And then I did something quite atypical: I said "Thank you!". Why? Because she'd trusted me, and because she'd given me an important opportunity to step outside of myself and do something unconditional for someone in real need; to be her servant.

The old Chinese woman was not looking for a slave, or a handout. She had a genuine need; being old and frail and having to lift groceries is not a circumstance she had recklessly brought upon herself and was now expecting others to resolve for her. No, she was just trying to survive another day as one of many anonymous elders in a large, and sometimes dangerous city. It must be especially tough at her age to be in Canada and not speak the language of her adopted country.

What I found most interesting was that we used only gestures to accomplish "our" objective. Yet one question remains. Why did she not ask the two Chinese people sitting directly in front of her for help? They were exiting at the same time I was. They spoke the same language. Or did they? WHY did she choose to ask me for help instead?

Perhaps I was just the right person at the right time. Thank you, Mrs Old Chinese Lady, for your help in creating my newsletter this month, and improving upon my humanity.

And thank you all of you for reading and responding to my monthly newsletters and helping me to become a better writer and social servant. This is now my 60th Get Real Newsletter. Awesome, dude!

The 2004 Olympics; A Bit Of A Greek Tragedy.

This newsletter wouldn't be complete without some mention of the recent Olympic games held in Athens, Greece.

The games began on a low note: the symbolic flame bearer, a famed Greek sprinter, failed to light the flame. Why? Because he "missed" his drug test. Instead of bringing honor to his country, he brought them shame. And he didn't run.

This man's circumstances set the tone of what was said to be the most drug-induced Olympics in history. He symbolized the cancer that lurks beneath "competition" as a state of mind — especially when what's at stake are sponsorship money, nationalism, and false pride. This time, many athletes were disqualified after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Or they didn't get tested. Personally, I wonder if some of the "accidents" that befell certain athletes were not staged to avoid the drug test that awaits a medal winning performance. Better than saying "I can't compete, I'm cheating by taking banned drugs!" Makes you wonder...

Yet many athletes are drug free and compete simply for the joy of such events, which celebrate athetic performance. I know of at least one such person.

The Brazilian Spirit Wins

The games almost ended on the same tragic note as they'd begun when a "defrocked" catholic priest mugged the Brazilian marathon runner who was running in first place. This shameless sociopath was apparently a repeat offender in trying to quench his own thirst for glory by sabotaging someone else's. Before the incident, the Brazilian runner was the clear winner with a 45 second lead over the Italian and U.S. runners. They later shared a rather lukewarm victory over the Brazilian who, but for the heartless actions of someone who considers himself a spiritual leader, would have won the gold medal.

The ex-priest must already be damned; only a tortured mind sets out to purposefully hurt others in such opportunistic and symbolic ways. Whatever his message was, his actions were like those of just another terrorist. Would you want to live in his heaven? Not me. I wanna hang out with people that he hates!

Well, that's my rant for this month. And God bless the Brazilian. He took the bronze, despite the mental and physical abuse. He's what I call a real winner!

Obrigado, isto é para si!


Roland Kriewaldt,
(And remember: the servant is free; the slave is not.)


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