Long Walks On Leafy Streets

1/30/2017 Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC
It has been a somewhat difficult few days. Not only because of what is happening in the country, which is quite upsetting by itself, but also because Nicole has been sick for a few days. She was bedridden for some time. I had to do twice as much as I normally do around the house, including doing everything for Prashant because we didn’t want him to get infected. Today was the first time she felt good enough to take over although yesterday she was able watch Prashant while I was away working on my research.

Getting tired of being sick and feeling gloomy Nicole decided this morning that we should go to Church as we were planning to. Especially because Rev. Michael Pfleger of Chicago was speaking. We attended the service at Howard University’s Rankin Chapel. Because of the large numbers of people attending, the actual service is conducted at the Cramton auditorium, the largest one on campus. I have had the good fortune of listening to a few luminaries there.
Nothing comes close to being present at President Obama’s convocation address last year in the main “Yard” but among the great orators and inspiring leaders I have heard at Cramton are Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte and Elijah Cummings.

Pastor Pfleger is quite a fiery speaker and an impressive personality. He has worked almost all his pastoral life at the St. Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago, a predominantly African-American parish in the South Side. He has worked in the inner city to reduce violence and drug use and adopted three children, one of whom died in gang related violence. His campaigns and speeches have often been controversial. While we knew he was going to speak out forcefully against the actions of the new administration I didn’t know exactly what kind of a man he was.

The sermon didn’t disappoint. He started with some rousing words against the new administration. People were on their feet several times. What really touched my heart was the way he ended it. I felt he really spoke to the truth even if it wasn’t clear that everyone was excited to hear it. He talked about how the results of the latest election shouldn’t surprise anyone, that this is the result of all of our actions and it has all been building up to this over the past few decades. The chief culprit, according to him, is the emphasis on one’s own betterment and the worship of material success that has become the bedrock of American society. I would also add the rancor and the toxic atmosphere in the public arena with hateful and angry speeches coming from both sides, but I think he was quite right in pointing to the self-centeredness.

This was also one of the points made during a meditation gathering held on the night before the women’s march that happened on the day after the inauguration. That event was organized by members of the (Buddhist) mindfulness communities in this area, including the Washington Mindfulness Community that I am a part of. Thich Nhat Hanh has a beautiful way of talking about how we all are part of a collective consciousness and how our individual thoughts, actions and words shape that collective. Although I stayed home watching Prashant while Nicole went to the march, I was very glad I went to the meditation event. It brought much peace to my turbulent and hyperactive mind. As I have written before, I decided after the election that I would make a conscious effort to bring peace and love to my own heart and try to practice it every moment.

After the sermon I stood in line to greet Pastor Pfleger. He gave me a warm embrace and I told him that his speech was inspiring. I am not sure he heard it because there were so many people there but I felt quite happy to have met him up close. He seemed to be a genuinely good-hearted person in spite of all the controversy surrounding him.

It has been my lifelong quest to see God in everyone. I hope that is how I have lived. But I must be honest and admit that when it comes to people of European origin, especially men, I have had a difficult time. More often than not this group of people has met my expressions of friendship and love with condescension, contempt, ridicule or outright hostility. It started with my arrival in Pasadena, CA and has continued ever since. One day, in 1997 I believe, I was walking in New York City after parking my car. I was visiting there with my parents and they were waiting for me at the World Trade Center. A white man, probably homeless or on drugs, although at that time I didn’t think that, came up to me and right way punched me hard on one side of my face. I was stunned but stayed calm. I asked him why he did that and he looked at me with great anger in his eyes and told me to keep walking. I haven’t told my parents about this or many of the other incidents because I don’t want them to worry about me. Also this physical attack was not as painful as the numerous direct and indirect words, gestures and behavior arising out of ignorance and misunderstanding.

Although I have met some wonderful people in this country and made many good friends that I greatly respect and admire, people of all backgrounds, it is rare when you meet a person whose heart is so big that you can see in their eyes compassion and openness for all. And so my heart is filled with gratitude for God to have given this white pastor such great love and respect for all human beings that he is willing to risk his life for them and live and preach that love in the most trying of circumstances.

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