I steadily strolled along the lakeside, in more than a bit of physical discomfort and yet still filled with peace and joy — alongside a wholehearted resolve to continue walking this pilgrimage until I reached its stated conclusion, and this no matter the dangers or dis-eases that would in all probability continue to afflict me along the way.

It didn’t take long for me to arrive in the tiny, highly affluent town of St. Sulpice, and here is where my next awakening awaited. For I personally have very little tolerance for the materially wealthy — feeling strongly as I do that the huge disparity of economic opportunity in our current world makes it abjectly immoral for so few to have so muchwhile so many have barely enough to survive. I had also up to that point noted the additional truth that those who have the most to give tend to give the least of the same, and I was thinking about this reality — and how sad I was that so many wealthy people find it so difficult to re-enliven the innately generous Souls that live inside them — when I came across an obviously ritzy restaurant called Le Debarcadere …

Now don’t get me wrong — I still frequently entered such establishments during my pilgrimage; still presented them with the same opportunity to know the true Joy that comes from giving to those who can do nothing for you in return, and yet I admittedly always did so with absolutely no expectation that such generosity would be offered or awakened. And this was the case as well on this day in St. Sulpice as I entered the obviously glamorous eatery in question …

First things first, I approached the bar and gave my standard introductory greeting; telling the bartender briefly about my Walk and asking for a glass of water. She was, of course, quite taken aback by the same and called over one of the establishment’s two owners, who had difficulty deciphering my butchered French and asked me to have a seat and wait for his co-owner, who supposedly spoke fluent English.

I sat there for quite awhile, thankful for the rest, and yet soon began to wonder whether I should just get up and walk onward. Just as I was about to do so, the second owner, Nicola, came over and asked to hear about my Journey. I explained to him what I was doing and where I was headed and how I had chosen to do so fully on faith in the name of Peace. Nicola listened intently to my tale and then, without even the slightest hesitation, asked me what I would like to eat for an early lunch. I assumed that he had misunderstood me, and once again explained that I was doing the entire walk without any safety net at all and that this meant I had no money to pay for lunch, and that a glass of water would be just fine. Nicola smiled upon hearing the same, and assured me that it was ME who had misunderstood; that he comprehended quite well what I was doing and how I was doing it, that it was an honor to have me in his restaurant, and that it was his privilege to feed me before I headed back out onto The Way … :O :O :O

And feed me he did — like a king, no less (he even set my table himself); bringing me a full basket of fresh bread and having his chef prepare me a fantastic asparagus-laden salad, a bowl of vegan squash soup, and even a complete avocado (artistically sliced & served, of course) as a side dish … :O … And then, after I was done, he topped it all off by bringing me an espresso and asking me if he could give me a second portion of anything I liked before I left … :O

Deservedly and appropriately humbled, I rejected this latter offer (I was not allowed to either gorge in the present or hoard for the future during The Walk) and thanked him profusely for his phenomenal display of hospitality; promising to hold the same close in my Heart and keep the same fresh in my Mind for the rest of my days (especially in those moments I might be once again tempted to critically judge the stinginess of the very wealthy before giving them a chance to exude the very opposite) … 😀

“Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking and doing the kind thing for those most often shunned. It is boldly doing the unpopular thing simply because it is moral and decent and just, and this no matter what anyone else thinks or says in opposition thereto.” ~ inspired by Justin Cronin

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt