I woke pretty easily after a intermittent night’s sleep on the church’s meeting room floor (having huddled close to the wall radiator while rolling from one hip to the other throughout the chilly evening), and hobbled up the street to hang out in a nearby coffee shop until Christine arrived for our appointed farewell coffee chat …

I entered said establishment and asked the barista on duty for some water after telling her briefly about my Walk and she dismissively (and almost rudely) allowed me to sit and enjoy the same. Fortunately for all involved, a customer — Michel — had overheard me talking to her about my Journey and he immediately offered to buy me a coffee while we chatted amicably (in German, no less) about my Walk and The Selfless Way and what it meant (and why it was so important) to “Be Kind when least inclined” ( :O ) … He then headed off to work and it proved to be the barista’s turn to “get it.” It turns our that she had been listening in on our conversation (at least the portions thereof that were in halting French & English) and that she too became inspired to Give to the cause — coming over and offering me a croissant to accompany my coffee … :O :O

I gently decline her offer, of course (announcing with a gentle smile that “Je suis vegan, donc je ne mange pas des animaux”), and yet offer her the Thank You note that I had already prepared for her — an unconditional Gift that surprised her greatly, and that probably had a greater positive effect on her than any mere material exchange could have provided … 😀

“Some say that the Soul is healed by being in the presence of children. In reality the Soul is made whole again by interacting with others AS children. ” ~ inspired by Dostoevsky

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