Take A Ride With Me

Jump in the passenger seat. Take a ride with me. I want to show you something.

Driving West on Carson St. almost to Paramount Blvd. in Lakewood, CA. You will notice on your left the Walmart gas station, parking lot and the store itself sitting on the back of the property.

We're at the stop light. Looking to the right you will see a McDonald's...as typical the drive through line is packed. There are several people sitting close together on the gray bus bench, heads down checking their cell phones. Folks milling around waiting for the bus. It is one of those hot humid days we've had recently in California and the cover over the bench does not do an adequate job of shading them.

Next to the bus bench is a gray trash can. Here at the curb in between the trash can and the bus bench is what I want to show you. The sight tugs at my heart strings. An elderly man is sitting in a wheelchair unattended. His head is bent down, a blue medical mask is hanging below his chin. He is wearing jeans and a long sleeved red and blue checked shirt. No sunglasses and no hat to protect his bald head from getting sunburned from the scorching sun. Beads of sweat were shining on his face. No one near him. No backpack. No bottle of water in his hands. Instead he is holding tightly to the large box of Depends from Walmart unevenly positioned on his thighs. No dignity.

My heart hurts for him. My eyes fill with tears. At this point I have a whole lot of questions about what I'm seeing. I imagine you do too. It is painful to look at this gentleman. I wonder how long people can hold him in their gaze before they are seduced by a distraction...a ringing cell phone, sending a text or a green light.

I wonder... how did he wheel himself all the way over here from Walmart to the bus bench in this blazing hot sun without passing out? How did it happen that he is all alone and there is no one to help him get home? Secretly I'm hoping he is not alone and that someone went inside McDonald's and is getting him something cold to drink. Is he an earth angel? A sight that is supposed to prompt us to come to our senses? An angel to remind us about caring for each other...humanity? A reminder that these sights are occurring every day and are all around us? What can we do?

When the light turned green I drove ahead wondering, “should I have parked, approached him and asked if there was anything I could do to help him? I decided I could pray for his safety and well being and imagine him surrounded by love and cool light. While I know that counts its insufficient to impact what is happening around me, around us. I hear that from you too...my invisible but not silent passenger.

I'm left with more questions than answers these days about how I can make a difference in the world in the way that I can. Not the way someone else would. But a way that is true to myself. Maybe you ponder this question too. Meanwhile I can remember that gentleman in my daily prayers.