I used to live in a Zen Center down in San Diego, California. It was a beautiful community of unique, wonderful, individuals that taught me so much about life, patience, existence, happiness, acceptance, and being. I lived in this quaint community during my younger teenage years, my rebellious and coming into age years, and although i wished I had fully understood every gift they were handing me, alas, I only soaked up so much of their gracious lessons; But as time goes on, as my memory becomes a bit more keen, certain stories and moments come rushing into my frontal lobe; Reminding me and pushing me to always be better than the individual I was yesterday. Always questioning, always trying, always giving. Today, I had a moment that reminded me greatly of a man that had changed my perspective, changed my life really, on many things whilst living there… and I wanted to share him, his wisdom, my moment, with you… Rakusan was his name, Uncle Rakusan for those who knew him well. He lived in the house across from ours and he was the most joyful, beautiful spirited creature I had ever met. Always finding ways to look at the darkest moments in life and shine light on them. He really was the flame in the dark, the star in the dimly lit sky, he was a man of many adventures, many stories, and a life worth sharing. Living near him and around him I had the opportunity to listen to many of his misadventures and his wonderful life he had created for himself. He was such a good man inside and out and although he wasn’t rich with cash he was rich with personality and love. Always giving to the less fortunate, always helping anyone and everyone. A man that I was honored to have be called a friend. Uncle Rakusan was diagnosed with cancer during my last year of staying at the Zen Center and I witnessed first hand as he slowly started losing that light I had grown so in love with and accustomed to. Story times in the yurt went from once every night to once a week and then once every two weeks and sometimes even more rare than that. On one of the last occasions I was graced with his presence he told a story I will forever remember. A story that changed me in more ways than one and one I want to share with you… He was talking about his younger days and how he grew up with more money than he could count but as he grew older he realized money was quite supurfulus. It was just paper after all. So, he had come up with this game of sorts to always help others, those less fortunate and those in need of a hand. He was always good at understanding that he could be there one day, and to think that a small piece of green paper could decide if someone lived, died, ate, drank, and survived, well, that just sounded crazy. So, from that day forth, he vowed, he would always give the smallest bill he had in his wallet to someone. No matter if it was a ten, a twenty, a fifty, whatever the bill, whoever it was, it was his vow to pass it on. He told this story with so much grace and vigor that he inspired every individual in that room, or at least he did me. It made so much sense. That all it took to help and save other people was to share in acts of kindness. To understand that we are all just a piece of paper away from being in need. Ever since that day I have carried a piece of Uncle Rakusan with me, always giving to the less fortunate, taking them out to eat, going into grocery stores to buy whatever they want. But today… something different happened… While in a long drive-thru line at In-N-Out (yes… I eat In-N-Out and I love it) my eye got caught on two young lads holding up a used, weather worn notebook with the following inscribed on it: FEED A FATTY? The words caught my attention first, the realization that people believed that in order to ask for help they must grovel, in order to grovel they must demean themselves. It was heartbreaking and it wasn’t the first time I had seen such things. If you live in the Hollywood Area you become familiar with the people that are struggling just to make it. Ive seen signs that read: $10 KICK ME IN THE BALLS, HIT ME FOR A DOLLAR, IM YOUR PUNCHING BAG, etc. Now, I don’t know if its sadder that people, humans, our own friends and family could be the ones desperate enough to do this OR the fact that people follow through with this and pay to hurt another human beings all in the name of HELP. Its sad… By now the young individuals noticed I was staring and took a moment to flip through his notebook until he opened to a new page where in big red letters it read: EVEN A SMILE HELPS as I read it I looked up and he was smiling up at me. He got me. I smiled. I walked out of the car and over to him and gave him the smallest dollar bill I had, 10.00. When I gave it to him, he looked up at me almost dumbfounded, shocked, surprised, happy, he jumped up with glee and said that he was going to be able to feed so many mouths with that cash. I got in the car as he walked away and I drove further into the In-N-Out line… Help… It shouldnt have to hurt….
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 06:59:08 +0000
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