Let's face it, age makes you jaded. The trials of time and life seem to accumulate over the years, and soon we pride ourselves on being worldly, this is just a euphemism for the loss of innocent wonder we once experienced. Never has this been so apparent as when I was boldly confronted with an act of selflessness that really made me reevaluate my curmudgeonly ways.
Driving to and from work is excellent think time for me. More often than not, I don't turn on the radio, rather content with listening to the conversations in my head solving the world's problems or regretting all of the things positive and negative I should've said.
Although this level of thought allows me to drive the car, I often get lost in my own head and forget to look at the instrument panel. On rare occasions I run out of petrol(yes, I'm using the word petrol, an affectation left over from living with my Aussie mate Di for so many years), and I completely miss the flashing light warning me that I'm about to be stranded on the side of the road.
So, the car starts to sputter and I took the off ramp toward Castro Valley. Not really a bad place to be stranded as I know lots of wonderfully generous people in CV that will be happy to lend a hand. My car was safe on the side of the road, and I've called my first rescuer, Becky Maciel, and wait by the side of the road. Becky is an exceptionally patient friend as it took us three different gas stations to be able to purchase a plastic gas can and fill it. (By the way, I'm starting quite a collection of red plastic gas cans in my basement, let me know if you need one).
My sincerest appreciation to Becky for abandoning her family right about dinner time to come rescue me in my hour of need. I sent Becky on her way, as I marched down the ramp toward my car on the side of the road. I figured a little petrol in the tank and I'd at least get to the nearest gas station.
Well, I got the gallon in the tank and went to start the car. As I was sitting in the drivers seat, a young man with a pull over, a hemp necklace with a cross attached, and a skateboard ton his arm rapped on my passenger side window. I rolled down the window to see a beautiful dark haired 20 year old with a cherubic face that seemed neither male or female, rather had the androgyny that so many young people seem to be so comfortable with and older more static mindset populations feel so discomforted by. This is not to call into question this young man's gender expression or identity, rather I've always envisioned biblical angels as somewhat androgynous: beautiful, kind, loving, fierce and powerful.
Oddly enough, this young man was not only carrying a skateboard, but was also carrying a gas can. Yes, gentle readers, I did a double take on that one. I rolled down the window, we exchanged pleasantries, and he offered up the petrol in his gas can. I was having some trouble getting the car started with my one can but with the additional gas, the car started like a champ.
In speaking with this young strange angel, I asked with no small degree of incredulousness whether he just always has a gas can on him when he is going around town or is this just a coincidence. He humbly admitted that he always has a gas can on him.
I offered up a ride, and he accepted. His car was in a parking lot around the corner. I surmised that he must have seen me stranded, parked and walked his half full gas can to my car. We chit chatted and I explained I had been an educator in the district, and it turns out he had graduated from Castro Valley High School, and before that Canyon Middle School. We know some of the same educators.
Our two worlds are even smaller. I had to do a little Facebook stalking so I could send a thank you card and I noticed this young man and I have a mutual friend, a parent of former students of mine who is a minister at his church. A family I hold in high esteem for their humor, kindness, and generosity.
As he left, I offered up money to pay for the gas and as a young person filled with a generous ideology, he declined the offer. The encounter with this strange angel took less than fifteen minutes, but in that fifteen minutes I was reminded of some universal truths and challenged to examine some of my assumptions.
As many of you know, my relationship with any deity is fairly complicated. Often, my feeling is that if the God's and Goddesses in our world are loving and kind, why are so many of their followers filled with ill will, self loathing and hate. This young man challenged my assumption that Christians don't practice the loving words of their bible.
As far as universal truths are concerned, this whole experience was a gentle reminder that the universe brings back what we put out there. A few days before this incident I helped an elderly gent by filling his small gas can at my local gas station. What more direct link to a karmic connection can one observe?
We can become jaded and cynical, but an act of humble generosity can remind each of us that we are connected to each other in more ways than imaginable. It is not a sign of weakness to be humble and help those in need, in fact just the opposite is true. we are never more powerful than when we are using our resources to share with others. This experience has been a reminder that each of us has a moral obligation to be generous, to be helpful, and to be kind to our fellow humans.
Acting on this obligation is much more difficult. It requires taking chances and sharing our vulnerabilities. For now, I a content to not just walk by when someone is need, and to think a little differently about my fellow humans as I'm driving on my commute.
