There has been a soul in the Park these last 2 weeks, a pitiful lost soul. An African American man. The little I can tell he is substantially if not severely mentally impaired, but I have little to go on. Had me worried the first 3 or 4 days, the way he was pacing around the park in the vicinity of the White House struck me as a bit menacing and possibly hostile, and angry. But this was a guess; it was not his demeanor, which has remained placid. I've made it my business to avoid eye contact because I sense that I am not called to divert from my work to attend to him, and I have zero sense that I can be of help to him, in any way. He has frequently paced very, very close to where I am, sort of violation the "space" of the vigil. I've respected his right to do so, and despite the fact that I realized he might be looking for kindness, friendship, attention, acknowledgment or someone to chat with, again, I've judged that, although he is my brother and I care for him, and I DO care, I DO have compassion for him, Triage, my duty to choose how to help the most people, dictates that I stay on task and NOT indulge my inclination to try and help him. To this very second tonight I feel that this is correct, that I am following Good's, God's, Love's Will in this. But I remain pained that he must feel hurt, maybe VERY hurt that I've given him ZERO attention. I can't imagine that he has literally two pennies to rub together. He sleeps on benches here in the park during the day (the Park Police sometimes allow DAY sleeping here) and as near as I can tell he is awake here all night long. He wears the same pair of slacks, shirt and sweater all the time.
My heart aches for him. I saw what appeared to be an uncharacteristiclaly humane Park Police officer in the park the other day. I approached her, and she was indeed humane. I know that there is little if anything they are equipped or likely to do, but I told her what I had seen regarding this fellow, and that I wished there was something that could be done for him.
It is 9pm Sunday. As I was working on the Laptop here in front of the White House at the Vigil a form (person) approached me from my left. It was this poor, lonely, lost soul. He reached out to me, and I saw a McDonald's bag at the same time he said, "Do you want a sandwhich? I have a fish sandwhich and a hamburger. You can have them." There was zero hint he was looking for anything, let alone in return I was happy to let my love for him shine his way, "Oh, thank you brother, but I've just had a snack. But thank you. Very kind" I instantly offered my hand and he responded with a wonderful warm, firm, human handshake, and then went on his way.
"Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
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