Today he decided we are friends. He has a new bike because a mother gave it to him. She said her son never rides it and she felt it would be perfect for him.
This man works hard every day. As hard as anyone else. Perhaps even harder. He opens the dumpsters, reaches in and collects the recyclables. Often his bike has two huge construction size trash bags full to the rim and you see his muscles popping all over the place as he rides.
He is one of our homeless men.
A hard working homeless man.
In America you can actually work hard every day and still be homeless.
In fact, I won't be at all surprised to learn...at some point as my friendship continues to develop with this hard working homeless man..that he has served our country at some point in his lifetime.
Then it would be: In America, you can work hard every day, have served your country and still be homeless.
He accepted that bike because he knew it wasn't stolen.
"People try to give me bikes all the time but maybe it's stolen and I don't like that. I will not accept."
Maybe he has learned the hard way at some point. Maybe someone gave him a stolen bike, he accepted and he ended up in trouble. You know, being the homeless person with the bike. Or maybe he did steal a bike one time. I don't know, all I know is: he's a hard working homeless man who has personal integrity.
In the end..in my mind...I am at the beginning stages of being in a connection with a: Dignified man.
As we packed up our things and left the beach after the fireworks were over, the people on the blanket next to us bid farewell to us "classy people." That comment lived more in our behavior than it did -what we were wearing or the bottle of Dom Perignon we were drinking.
Our dignified appearance included being respectful to them in equal measure.
Stories like: Ever After
Below, The scene I'm going to add: Here is who each person is
Danielle is literally a slave (aka Cinderella)
Maurice is the servant Danielle's stepmother sold to get money in her pocket.
Cargomaster's job is to treat the prisoners with no dignity and just move them
Henry is: The prince who will one day rule as king.
Now that you know who everyone is...you can follow the thread....
Cargomaster: You're too late, he's bought and paid for.
Danielle: I can pay you twenty gold francs.
Cargomaster: Madame, you can have me for twenty gold francs. Now drive on!
Danielle: I demand you release him at once, or I shall take this matter to the King!
Cargomaster: The King's the one who sold him. He's now the property of Cartier.
Danielle: He is not property at *all*, you ill-mannered tub of guts! Do you honestly think it right to chain people like chattel? I demand you release him at once!
Cargomaster: [shouts] Get outta my way!
Henry: [riding up] You dare raise your voice to a lady, sir?
Cargomaster: [flustered] Your Highness! F-forgive me, Sire. I meant no disrespect. It's just, uh... I'm following orders here. It's my job to take these criminals and thieves to the coast.
Danielle: A servant is not a thief, your Highness, and those who are cannot help themselves.
Henry: Really! Well then by all means, enlighten us.
Danielle: If you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners corrupted from infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded, sire, but that you first make thieves and then punish them?
[pause, the other courtiers look on approvingly]
Henry: Well, there you have it. Release him.
Cargomaster: But Sire...!
Henry: I said, release him!
Cargomaster: Yes, Sire.
[Maurice is released]
Maurice: [to Danielle] I thought I was looking at your mother!
Danielle: [sotto voce] Meet me at the bridge.
[aloud]
Danielle: Prepare the horses, we will leave at once.
[to Henry]
Danielle: I thank you, your Highness.
In order to have her family (which is how she views and treats her servants-as family-as she works right by their side and with them) She had to clean herself up, put on a gown, act like royalty and "demand" fair treatment in the same way the millions of women just had to do. Much more has to be done but the human psyche is the way. Empowering ourselves and each other builds momentum. Women rising together brings out their confidence and their dignity. Women are "waking up," here. This is good news indeed.
We shall see how this goes in Reverent time....however, yesterday: Marianne Williamson posted on instagram - an image of the sash she was wearing and how a woman who was absolutely not in favor of this woman's march (because she and her husband were supporters of who got elected...) still helped her when she needed help by helping her- fix her the sash. The sash which had words on it that made it crystal clear, Marianne was going to the March.
This woman helped another woman regardless of her political views.
That is also GOOD NEWS. That too speaks into being Dignified.
Some place in the story is the part where the prince finds out he has fallen in love with a slave and his royal arrogant ass (aka his conditioning/breeding/royal rules and upbringing) became a block to him being able to just move with his own heart (which is where the power lives)
Instead he was angry, insulted, sickened, felt betrayed...all that stupid shit.
She went into yes, I am unworthy but I always knew I was unworthy anyway...and all that stupid shit.
I'm telling you...there is a lot of stupid shit that gets in the way of the human heart yet...you get to see who you are and where you are....
In the movie and in the end, the movie isn't just a happy ending of boy meets girl....it's even better than that...it's a story where the royal prince wakes UP and becomes a man because life without love is no life at all
Which kind of returns to my last post and the 75 year Harvard Study. Where it took millions of dollars and 75 years to come to the conclusion that happiness is love. That is all...Talk about stupid shit. All those years and all that money to discover something that has always been the truth anyway. For heaven's sake....In the moment when he says:
"I kneel before you, not as a prince, but as a man in love but I will feel like a king if you....accept ME"
Below the surface of the never ending man/woman crap and all that romantic expectation stuff.... exists what it truly means... to be dignified. Humility is a part of that. He became a King on the day he decided to lead with his heart and have his heart and soul be what leads him
At least that is my opinion.
Respect...Dignity....Stupid shit....it is the stupid shit that brings out strength and courage...or it does not...
We shall see.... I'm just happy about my budding new friendship with a very dignified man and how many women, men and children STOOD UP for what matters yesterday.... GLOBALLY!!!!!!
Today is Soul Sunday...my cup runneth over
Stay Tuned