Day 34i: Left out of LOVE — Part 2 … (05/18/2019)
I walked on for a surprisingly long time that evening, until I ultimately lost The Way right next to a secluded little private park in a chic subdivision of the city’s outskirts. Not trusting my ability to orient the city’s deeply darkened streets, I entered the park and tried to sleep on one of its relatively inviting benches. And yet it had gotten too chilly already that evening and boisterous Saturday-night revelers kept walking by and waking me, so up I got once again, found The Way once again, and once more set forth into the night — this time walking until I found a bank whose money-machine foyer was open & warm. I entered its toasty enclave and taped a little “No need to worry — I am a Peace Pilgrim just trying to rest for the night” note above me on the wall (in the hopes that folks would let me sleep there awhile), and yet the police were soon summoned by a nervous passerby and I was once again politely rousted and gently-yet-firmly sent on my now-not-so-merry way … 🙁
Having given up hope for either rest or respite at this point (it was at that time well after midnight) I was limp-ambling out of town when I saw a huge sign on my left for a pilgrim-emblazoned company called Emmaus. The synchronicity of my walk with that historical name was too good to pass up and I walked around back to see what I could see — and what I saw was a company that obviously took in old furniture to then distribute the same to the poor; old furniture that on that particular night included a relatively clean & comfy sofa! (:O 😀 ) … And so it was with great joy that I bundled up on my latest impromptu bed — only to wake up about an hour later being subtly-yet-thoroughly coated by an uncomfortably chilly rain shower (seriously?!?) … 🙁 🙁
It was at this point that I truly gave up on sleep for good, and yet just before heading off to simply walk the rest of the night through, I saw a fleet of Emmaus transport trucks parked relatively nearby — one of which had been left open ( :O ) … And so it was that I gratefully climbed inside, wrapped my injured legs around the truck’s gearshift, and “slept” for roughly four hours until the next morning’s walk; a walk that was filled with encounters & acts of Kindness that proved to be exceptionally potent, precisely because I had suffered through such a challenging time the night before — a Truth for all of us to remember when faced with our lives’ tougher times … 😀 😉
“Be Faith-full in times of great discomfort; even to the point of death, and you will be given the Crown of Life.” ~ unknown (Revelation 2:10)
P.S. Here is what my final “bed” looked like that night … 😉
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