It's starting to rain again as I drive across town for our weekly Meditation Circle in the Quaker Meetinghouse. Fortunately, I left a little earlier than usual, because Angel Santiago is coming at 7:00 to bring the necessary supplies and the key, which he used to host last Wednesday while Zet and I were out of town.
It's really pouring as I pass through downtown, where freeway traffic is moving at a crawl due to severely limited visibility and there's been an accident two miles ahead, according to the giant warning signs flashing overhead. Probably won't get there by 7:00 at this rate.
TAKING A DETOUR
I decide to take the Mulberry exit and cut through Brackenridge Park, hoping that the San Antonio River won't be flowing over the bridge, which it isn't. But the intersection at Broadway and Mulberry is definitely swamped. It takes some time to skirt past that corner, and inch northward on Broadway at 15mph. Suddenly it seems crazy to keep driving in this rain, especially since it's relatively easy to pull over and call Angel, who has already arrived and is willing to host once again.
I'm a little bummed, because I don't like putting Angel in this situation without advance notice, nor do I want to miss Meditation Circle, which is always a highlight of the week for me. But once the decision has been made, there's no time to dwell on these thoughts, because suddenly a young man comes running full speed across the street just a few yards ahead, almost invisible as he dodges five lanes of traffic in the pouring rain, despite waving his arms wildly. That's crazy! Doesn't he know how dangerous that is?
TAKING A CHANCE
It doesn't make sense until I see that he's desperately trying to get the attention of the driver of the southbound VIA bus, stopped nearby. He comes mighty close to succeeding, nearly drawing alongside the rear of the bus as it pulls away from the curb. Having failed, he slumps dejectedly onto the bus stop bench.
I'm pretty sure that it will be at least fifteen, rain-soaked minutes before the next bus arrives, and by the look of his shoulders, he thinks so, too. Having been in this same situation before, I make a U-turn as quickly as possible, pull alongside the bus stop and offer him a ride, with the intention of catching up to his bus a few blocks ahead.
He jumps into my car with a blur of energy, introduces himself as Jerome, wipes the rain off his startled face and gushes his gratitude that some random stranger would stop in the middle of a rainstorm to help him like this. His words come tumbling over themselves, explaining that he's just gotten off work from the fast-food restaurant down the street, feeling beat from pulling another overtime shift, thanking me for the lift, and offering the gift of a free combo meal anytime I want to drop by his store...
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
I smile and say 'you're welcome', because that's what etiquette requires. But what Jerome doesn't know is that I really love committing such random acts of kindness. It's so much fun helping push cars that have gotten stalled in an intersection, or giving rides to folks who've narrowly missed the bus. Such opportunities seem to arrive fairly frequently, and I accept them whenever possible. Not because it's The Right Thing to Do, or because I'm such a great guy, or because others have given me a rides or pushed my stalled cars in the past.
No, the real reason I jump at such opportunities to offer help is simply because it feels really good to do so, delivering a top-quality buzz that vibrates through every cell and fiber of my being, with a delicious afterglow. Frankly, in the past I tried a pretty wide variety of mind-altering substances, and found them all to be lacking, in one way or the other. But, as far as I can tell, providing tangible, face-to-face assistance to a brother or sister in need is the ultimate high, with no downsides.
FEELING THE JOY
I believe it's because we humans are hard-wired to help one another, a trait that was essential to the survival and successful evolution of the small bands of hunter-gatherers who were our ancestors. And when we take immediate, physical action to support others, we are being true to ourselves at a very deep, resonant level.
Unfortunately, that same trait often leaves us feeling overwhelmed in a world where our tribe has expanded to include billions of starving, suffering people whose needs are communicated graphically by modern mass media. The flood of requests for financial, social, political and spiritual support is so relentless, that it's all too easy to feel powerless, or worse yet, numb.
And, no, giving Jerome a ride in my car doesn't cancel out the need to work for peace, address global warming and end injustice. But, it did help make his trip home a little easier and more joyful - and mine, too. And for that, I am deeply grateful.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rudi
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