"Perhaps all the
dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act,
just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us
is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love." - Rainer Maria Rilke
I
was in Tokyo last spring, walking beneath neon signs and cherry
blossoms with my dear friend Kirsten. Right about the time the sun was
setting, we heard the sound of a jazz band coming from an alley. Turns
out it was a group of four very hip Japanese college students playing
their hearts out for anyone who would listen.
But not everyone
was enjoying the music. In the middle of the second song, an older
homeless man broke through the crowd and started yelling at the band.
The musicians did their best to ignore him but the apparently
intoxicated man would not go away. It seemed he was angry about the loud
noise.
There were probably two dozen of us watching this unfold -
none of us knowing what we could or should do. I remember feeling very
helpless, because first, I don't speak much Japanese, and second, the
homeless man was starting to get more and more violent. At one point, he
picked up a stick and started banging on the drum set.
This was more than the young drummer could take and he finally stopped playing, stood up and pushed the old man to the ground.
It
was then that a young Japanese man made his way through the crowd very
quietly. He knelt down next to the old man, took hold of his hand and
asked him if he was alright. I couldn't understand what was being said,
but I'll never forget the way this young man helped bring the fallen man
to his feet. And I'll never forget the way he carefully placed his arm
around the old man's shoulders and quietly walked him away.
After
reading the above quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, I can't help but wonder.
Maybe this old man was a prince in disguise. And maybe he was waiting
to see someone act, just once, with beauty and courage.
Ron Atchison is the creator and self-proclaimed 'Mayor' of Inspiration Peak.
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