I am currently in Berlin…and realising on a visceral level once again the intense hectic and numbness that flows through society.
I see people homeless asking for money and support.
I see myself and others shutting off.
The other day when a woman asked me for money, I first turned away with a lazy “no sorry”.
Then, reminded at my longings for a connected humanity, I turned back, walked up to her and asked her: “Why are you in need of asking for money?”.
She explained in a bit of mumbling chaotic words that she is filing some papers for government support and that that should make things better…I am not sure whether that was the truth…what I felt from this woman that moved me was a feeling of shame.
I felt that there was shame for her situation.
I feel my own helplessness towards those situations.
I gave her a coin, wished her good luck with her papers and went my way…thinking and feeling that at least I followed a nudge of caring.
I didn’t feel more liberated. More grounded though.
Sometimes I hunker down to the people who sit on the sidewalk and I ask them why they are there…recently I bought a hot chocolate for a woman who sat in icy temperatures because that’s what she said she would like…
I know that these are droplets on a hot stone.
And I also feel that not looking is even more insane.
I also understand that not looking is a self-protection mechanism.
I also am aware that not looking outside equals I am not looking at something that lives inside…
I also feel that, even though the people who have no money and no home do need such things, they also need to feel seen – as this is a basic human need.
It doesn’t feel right to me to just chuck a coin into a paper cup and go on…it feels more aligned to at least exchange some words, too…
This post is to the human journey.
To the things we’re facing that I believe we all deep down wish could change into harmony and peace.
This post is to the pain of not being able to change it alone but to the power we have if we continue to follow internal nudges – and to the trust that these nudges live in each of us…sometimes just very deep down..💗