Unexpected lessons

Circle K was supposed to go to Harvard Soup Kitchen today, but all the rest of the people who signed up couldn't make it. So I went on my own, though I was tempted to skip out.

There's this guy there who likes to talk a lot named "L" or El? who knows. Last time I went I was brooding a lot about ideas like death, depression and pain. He kept on saying to everyone, you should enjoy life! Be happy! And asking me whether or not I'm happy and I enjoy life. He made some references to God, but since the soup kitchen is run by a UU church, I wasn't sure what sort of doctrine he might believe, and whether to take in what he said or not. But when I left, I realized, no matter who he was, what he believed, God had used him to speak to me- to say, be active in pursuing joy and happiness.

Today he was sitting across from a guy named Mario, who didn't really say much. El and I talked about stuff like why killing animals is okay, but having sex before marriage isn't, and Mario just listened. Mario is part Cherokee, and El decided to ask him a question he asked me last time: "What's your view on life? Why do you think we're here?" I thought the question kind of put this guy Mario, who doesn't talk much in the first place, on the spot. But Mario said: "Well my view is different from most people. I try to see people the way the Great Spirit (from his Cherokee heritage) sees them, not the way other people/the world sees them."

And I asked him to elaborate on what the difference was. And he said the difference is that we are not images, we are reflections. I had no idea what he meant by that, and El started going on this rant on how deep it was! I don't think he got what Mario was trying to say. But El was saying that the difference between an image and a reflection was basically that if you raise your right hand, your image will also raise its right hand, but your reflection will raise its left hand. And then I asked Mario- is that what you mean? To my surprise, he said yes.

And then he said "When God looks at us, he sees Himself."

That really hit me. That really is a different way to look at people. I mean, isn't that how we learn to love and respect other people. When we see parts of ourselves in them, and know that we are not so different after all. And more importantly, that we see reflections of something divine, something eternal, echoes of something perfect and good in there; somehow a reflection of God.

I still don't know how much I'm ready to let go and take in everything these people have to say. Part of me is just prejudiced- what do these poor/homeless/uneducated people have to say to me? You know, there are people who you listen to, but you never let it soak in enough to affect you because you're a little weary. And there are the people who you respect, and when they stay stuff, you listen - and you let it permeate and change you.