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breakfast
May 2009 
Almost leaving just before the Miracle
Posted on Apr 10th, 2009
by 
Mark Jordan
Mark Jordan
As I approached the little cafe near the Old Mint around 7 on Wednesday morning, I was chuckling at a pigeon that just kept turning into my path. I looked up to see a big, bright, toothless smile laughing with me. I smiled at him. I was almost past the very thin man when he said, "Sir, can I bother you for..." and his voice trailed off.
"Would you like some breakfast?" I offered, being in a great mood this morning. He looked at me quizzically. "Or would you rather have a dollar?" I countered, holding out a bill.
He smiled and said, "Thank you, sir." He took the dollar with weathered fingers, the tips of which were black. He was very frail, had no teeth, but there was a joy in his eyes that touched me. He wasn't doing well, but he wasn't complaining.
So I walked into the cafe, ordered my breakfast, paid, and left, walking back to the smiling man, and gave him some of my food. He just looked at me, as though he never expected to see me again. He smiled and said thank you again.
I turned to walk away, smiling. Then I heard, "Sir?" I turned back to the man, thinking he needed something else. He leaned back and said, "You're an honorable man."
I swallowed hard, and smiled. "Thank you," I replied. Funny how those four words touched me.
Later, a friend of mine gave me her slant on an AA mantra, "We always want to leave just before the miracle."
I'm glad I didn't.
"Would you like some breakfast?" I offered, being in a great mood this morning. He looked at me quizzically. "Or would you rather have a dollar?" I countered, holding out a bill.
He smiled and said, "Thank you, sir." He took the dollar with weathered fingers, the tips of which were black. He was very frail, had no teeth, but there was a joy in his eyes that touched me. He wasn't doing well, but he wasn't complaining.
So I walked into the cafe, ordered my breakfast, paid, and left, walking back to the smiling man, and gave him some of my food. He just looked at me, as though he never expected to see me again. He smiled and said thank you again.
I turned to walk away, smiling. Then I heard, "Sir?" I turned back to the man, thinking he needed something else. He leaned back and said, "You're an honorable man."
I swallowed hard, and smiled. "Thank you," I replied. Funny how those four words touched me.
Later, a friend of mine gave me her slant on an AA mantra, "We always want to leave just before the miracle."
I'm glad I didn't.
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What a wonderful story Mark! It really exemplifies the saying:
“Be realistic: Plan for a miracle.” ~ Bhagwan Shree Rajnesh ~
I envision more synchronicities, random acts of kindness & miracles ahead! EnJOY! D a r i n a :)
Thanks Mark!
We could spell miracle in numerous ways. I am sure Darina, you did it already anywhere:):)
I feel enchanted more and more. In a new way. In the sense of mystery as Stuart Davis differentiated in his blog entry about the SECRET.
In the sense of the GREAT SECRET of life which is to be found on the ground of postmetaphysical spirituality. And to felt as Ken Wilber described here:
“In other words, all of my books are lies. They are simply maps of a
territory, shadows of a reality, gray symbols dragging their bellies
across the dead page, suffocated signs full of muffled sound and faded
glory, signifying absolutely nothing. And it is the nothing, the
Mystery, the Emptiness alone that needs to be realized: not known but
felt, not thought but breathed, not an object but an atmosphere, not a
lesson but a life. ”
Thank you Darina and Albert. It's definitely something that doesn't happen when I am looking for it, just when I'm open to it.