I was privileged to spend a few days at Daylesford Norbertine Abbey, Pennsylvania, to reconnect with myself in silence and reflection. The abbot Domenic Rossi was instrumental in establishing the Bethesda Project, shelters in Philadelphia for homeless people who were often struggling with substance abuse and mental issues. He was kind and found time to talk to me. He gifted me his book, Listening to God’s Whispers,[1] to help me find answers to some of my questions. Among many things in the book, one that touched my heart was the story of the shopping bag lady who invited me to enter into the insecurities of others. Perhaps this story can inspire you too.
Angie was the first homeless lady to come and stay at the shelter. She amused people with her colorful, bizarre, and unfiltered commentaries. She came to the shelter with fifty-one bags that she carried with her all the time. She carried in her bags things like a year-old receipt for a jar of mayonnaise she purchased — the things we would consider trash. She preserved the receipt to prove that “she didn’t steal it.” Angie’s bags were stuffed with many similar things.
One of the volunteers, Phyllis Martin, tried to help Angie to reduce the number of her bags. Angie was beginning to trust Phyllis and allowed her to sort her stuff. Everything was going fine until, suddenly, Angie started to scream, “Where is my tea bag?” To reassure her and not to break the budding trust, Phyllis said, “I’ll find it, don’t worry.”
Phyllis was a classy woman and the wife of the director of antibiotic research at Merck Pharmaceuticals. Phyllis did not know if it was a new or used tea bag. She started rummaging through the trash in the dumpster next to their building trying to find the tea bag that she had inadvertently thrown away. While she was rummaging, she overheard two passersby talking about her, “how sad it was that people had to live like this.” Phyllis chuckled to herself.
Phyllis did not find the tea bag and returned to Angie to express her regret. Angie seeing that this really distressed Phyllis, said, “That’s okay deary.” That day Phyllis was able to reduce Angie’s bags from fifty-one to eighteen and later to just three bags.
Love sometimes invites us “to enter into the world of another’s insecurities and obsession.” Phyllis accepted the invitation of love and by entering into the insecurities and obsession of Angie, Phyllis could reduce the burdens of Angie and bring healing to her. Can we dare to accept the invitation of love to enter compassionately into the insecurities and messiness of others rather than lecturing them how to organize their life. It is in entering into the brokenness of others that we can bring healing to them.
Very motivating story, indeed. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis was an amazing meditation. Thank you for sharing it with us. God bless you.
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