Re: Quenched

His master asked him, 'How do you know you are on the path of enlightenment?" My teacher responded, "Everyone is telling me their problems." The Master nodded in agreement.

So, I had no expectations when I veered in to a corner store to quench my thirst. Intimidated by all of the products in Arabic and the stare of women whose heads were wrapped in a bee cone of white clothe, I veered through the aisle of foods that I have not come to know, to find refrigerators full of options to quench my thirst. I bring my choice to the front of the register.

The wait was beginning to feel lengthy. A woman comes up from the back of the store. I greet her, "Asa lama lakum." She responds, "wa alaikum asalaam." She puts her hand on my shoulder and pats it. There is something about being touched by a stranger, that let's me know how distant I am from people in this land. I am brought back to a soft place in myself that I often can only access when I travel. A place where we need each other and we can have each other. I ask her, "How are you?" She looks at me and says, "I am so, so. How are you?" I say, "Why so, so?" She groans, "Ah!" and holds her head. I ask her in a soft voice, "Awww, what is it?" She looks at me. Her skin is the color of browned white toast. Her eyes are wide with life. Yet, there is a film covering them, dimming the brightness as if she just saw a little bit too much.

She responds, "I am so sensitive. I am rrreally effected by people's problems. So many problems!" She puts her hand over her chest. I said, "You just have to let it all go." I start to wave my hands in front of me in circles and say, "Just let it all go." She starts to mirror me, "Yes, let it all go, but how?" I said, "I used to feel bad for people with problems, but now I have compassion, but I don't feel bad, because maybe they need it to take the next step of their path." She said, "True."

I ask her, "What is your sign?" She tells me, "I do not know." I ask her, "What month are you born?" She says, "I do not know. Back home, we do not keep track of such things." I ask her, "Where is back home?" She responds, "Yemin." I said, "So you are sensitive." She said, "Yes. My father wanted me to marry this man and though I knew it was a total mistake, he begged me and told me that he believe it is the will of Allah. He drives a limosine and now he doesn't because it has broken down or now he cannot work, because of this or that. I called his wife, because as you know they are allowed to have more than one wife and I told her, 'what can you do, accept it or go crazy!'

Then, an older woman in her 60s who works at my store, her son is asking her every week for $20 or $50. I told her you are helping him have a problem." I ask her, "What is the problem?" She said, "He is on drugs. Even last month, he paid no rent" I ask her, "How old is he?" She says, "He is in his 40's. He came in yesterday, he looks a rent. His eyes and his face. I picked up a mirror and told him, look at yourself. He said that he wants help."

She said, "People tell me all of their problems and look at me and what I am doing to you." I tell her, "It is okay. I am not sure if it is my face or what, but people tell me all of their problems." She said, "Total strangers?! They come up to you and just.." she pretends to throw up. I said, "Yes." She said, "Me too!"

I had just come from a place that had handed me a pamphlet that included resources for drug detoxing. I gave her the pamphlet. She said, "It is good to know things. Thank you so much." She said, "Why are you here?" I told her that I was performing outreach. She said, "Look at you!" She said, "You are very beautiful. You are very present" I did feel present. It ws one of those days that I could hold the person without taking it in me. I could just show up and reflect her. I said, "You know you must have it to see it in another. If you see beauty in me, it is because you are beautiful. You know that is how it works right?" She comes from behind the counter and hugs me. She said, "Please, let me give you some nectarines." I said, "Thank you very much." She said, "I pick them myself."

She says, "What is your name?" I realize that I don't know her name, but I know her Spirit.
I told her that I had some traditional clothes from the Muslim community in Tanzania and I wanted to bring them to her. She said, "How did you like living with Muslims?" I told her, "It was very nice." She said, "I would be happy to have them. When you bring them by, I will make you lunch." I said, "Okay and you can tell me your story." She hands me a paper that she had laminated. I skim it and find out that it is to mark when she became a citizen. It is her story of running from her home, literally barefoot and pregnant to avoid a war. Her story of being brought to California by her father. It is the story of being the single mother of three boys. The story of purchasing a store that the whole family runs. She says, "I have seen so much."

It is time to go. She says, "It is nice, being a nice person, isn't it?" I said, "Yes, but some days. " She said, "Yes, I know, but overall it is nice." I said, "Yes, it is." She said, "Look at your face." She blows me a kiss and I feel embarrassed. I tell her, "It is very nice to meet you." I said, "People tell me their problems, but then I realize..." She interjects, "That it is God." I said, "Yes." She said, "I feel lighter. Just like you said in the beginning. I let it go." I smiled. She said, "It is verrry nice to have met you." I said, "I will call you soon." I leave the store and realize that my thirst has been quenched.