***** As the young Jewish man attacked me yesterday for the first time in my life that I recall I found and exercised the choice simply to be the presence of goodness, humanity, solidarity, decency, humanity... Was it a successful thing to do, was it a wise thing to do, was it an effective thing to do? I don't know. But I think so. I think it was more appropriate, more powerful, more hopeful than any other way of responding I could have chosen. By doing so I did not feed the hatred in this poor twisted young man. I did not provide him other than an example of humanity, solidarity, decency by my behavior. With my choice, not for effect , but because it was the most constructive response I could think of for both of us, I essentially paused, non responded , waited ... for the constructive spirit in this young man which I presume exists. Of course, he left long before that might have happened. But that waiting which was my choice could act on them, may act on him, in slow motion over any amount of time. I don't think it will be without effect within him. Thereby I gave him a greater potential to change in the future than any other way I could have responded based on my prior experience. I suspect this will not be the last time that I choose such a response. It could well become my norm. Over the last three years or so there has been extremely fleeting insights where I thought I was catching a glimpse how to take a significant and maybe profound leap as an agent for positive change. Yesterday, unbidden, the way the growth of a new leaf is un bidden by the tree, may have been the growth I was previously glimpsing.
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