“Love is Blind”
A few months ago I received this email from a friend. He shared a beautiful story that literally touched me so deeply it brought me to tears. After you read this I invite you think twice and remember his story anytime you’re rushing about your day and quick to judge. I’m always amazed in what the world reveals when we take the time to walk in awareness.
I meant to get this out much sooner, but I guess everything comes in divine timing… Thank you Eric you have inspired me. And the rest of you… Enjoy! Much love and many blessings! xo,L:)
I was at Target in downtown Mpls and it was very busy. I don’t recall if it was at the lunch hour when everyone is rushing about to get their lunch in or just after 5 when everyone is rushing about to finish their errands and leaving work so they can head home but it was busy. As was I.
These are the times I find I need meditation. These are the times I practice for, yes? It is very easy for me to feel connected and at peace when sitting in a room with 20 others doing the same or alone in my apartment and its quietude. When I am rushing about in the world I can get very far from my quiet place so I work on walking meditation. It paid off for me on this day.
I was walking to the checkout when I noticed a man and woman arm-in-arm heading into the store. They looked very happy and were clearly in love. Not a gushy over-the-top type of love but a sincere and profound love. This was immediately apparent.
I saw that the man was overweight. Not terribly so but he did have quite a belly on him. He appeared to be around 40-45 years old, he was balding and had longer hair. He didn’t dress particularly nice, but he wasn’t slovenly either. He just looked as if he had put on some comfortable clothes and had combed his hair from out of his eyes. The man wasn’t homely, but did nothing to improve his looks. They didn’t seem to concern him.
On his right arm was a younger woman about 30 who was simply radiant. She dressed in a very average way also but was she so beautiful that she could have worn anything and stood out in a crowd. She was just naturally quite beautiful.
She laughed into the man’s ear as he walked with an air of calm and satisfaction. In the man’s left hand was a service animal. They were walking to the counter for assistance with their shopping.
Both the man and the woman were completely blind. Upon closer inspection I could see this in their eyes.
In the past I would have seen a couple who were clearly incompatible and dysfunctional. What would such a beautiful woman be doing with a man like this? He must be rich. She must have ridiculously low self-esteem. Or perhaps blind people are desperate. Or crazy. Or both. Or all of the above.
I would have thought of the shame it was that she was so physically attractive and wasting it on that man. I perhaps would have tried to insinuate myself. I would have judged the situation and done so poorly.
Instead what I got to see was genuine love in action. So here were two people who did not care for appearances. There was no superficiality. There was no pretense. The love I witnessed was nearly overwhelming. Two people had found each other and shared in each other’s being. They did not worry about their hair or make-up or manner of dress. They were not even capable of such things. They did not even live in a world where they dressed humbly. They dressed for the sake of keeping the weather from them and that was all. And they loved each other. I was able to witness this because I worked to stay present and found love where it was: everywhere. It was a wonderful experience.
I have read about how our experiences change when given a different scope. Like the man with apowerful telescope has a different, and perhaps more broad, understanding of the world and universe due to the extension of his vision. I can see how this could be true. Given this experience, however, I can also see, by simplifying and reducing, how our understanding can be expanded in this way too. This to me is a lovely paradox.
I really hope you are well, Lesley! Thank you for sharing your experiences! Keep up the good work! Have a great day!
-Eric
