Day 32: Lessons From a Homeless Lady

Today I was going home from work and an old lady stopped me, she wanted me to help her get her trolley up the road as it was uphill and rough with rocks at the pavement, not cool for the trolley's wheels. I have seen her around the city, she lives in the streets and uses her trolley like a snail with all her belongings. Also I have seen her at the mental hospital when I was there commited, so I even know her name, we were there together at the same time. I have seen that she at times talk to herself but I don't know what her diagnosis is.

So I help her with the trolley up hill and she tells me to go slowly, and it is true, because the terrain is rough if I go fast I will get tired fast and also stuff could fall from the trolley.

I had two sandwitches that they gave me at work and when I mentioned freshly made sandwitches her eyes widened - I told her what they were of so she could choose the one she liked more. She told me to keep the one I liked more and to give her the other one. I left her the two sandiwches as I was going home and could eat there.

Two things: One is that people with mental health problems or anyone should not live on the streets - most likely she cannot keep a job due to her mental problems so it is not fair that she has to live on the streets because she can't work. That's why I support the Living Income Guaranteed by the Equal Life Foundation - so no one falls through the cracks of the system and ends up on the street

The other one is the lesson that this old lady taught me, that in front of difficult problems one has to move slowly and securely, like crossing a river going from stone to stone, it is better to go slowly than to go fast and slip into the water.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to tend to rush in front of difficult problems, instead of walking conscientiously step by step, even if that means going slowly - but securely.

I forgive myself that I have not accepted and allowed myself to secure what I do that is difficult by walking it slowly.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to become frustrated whenever I move slowly.

I forgive myself that I have not accepted and allowed myself to see, realize and understand that moving slowly is required sometimes when what I am doing is difficult.

I forgive myself that I have not accepted and allowed myself to see, realize and understand that sometimes moving slowly is the only way forward, because if I rush I will not accomplish the thing that I set out to do.

I commit myself to live the word patience whenever I am facing a difficult task, so that I walk it slowly and effectively.