I’ve been so blessed lately, most of all to have the pleasure of meeting so many bright and beautiful people. This is a little aspect of life called grace. I didn’t have it before, but I have it now. Just as I’ve done many times before, to adapt and overcome, I’ve undergone a lifestyle change. It was that time, and I will be that time again soon. And just as with every lifestyle change, it requires a completely new set of habits. But without going into too much detail (mostly because I couldn’t find the words to describe it), I’ve believe this new combination of habits to bring me more grace. That has been in the form of meeting people. It’s actually very strange and curious and how I meet people. Sometimes it is by own karma, and sometimes it is inexplicable. I’m often in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that is how it happens. I could say many example, but I have only one in mind that seems worth sharing.

Only a few short weeks ago I was rushing through a busy day and trying to get all my errands done in time to catch the train to Salt Lake where I go to the most spiritual Kundalini yoga class. It’s one of my favorite nights of the weeks and I’ll prioritize my time with the efforts to go. On this particular day, I had come out of an oppointment much later than expected and realized that I wasn’t going to be able to catch the train in time. That was a real bummer. I really don’t like when my plans get botched, but I made the decision to be okay with it. Without making that decision, I would have been quite disappointing given the fact that I’m easily frustrated when plans to go as planned.

Anyhow, I picked up my car at the tracks and as I was driving out of the station, I spotted a man who looked visibly distressed. He was an older man, limping slowly out of the station, not wearing clothes appropriate for the bitter cold of January. I’ve had long-time proud habit of helping the homeless when I’m capable, and in this instance I was capable.

Pulling to the curb where he was walking I called out the the window, “Hey brother, can I give you a ride somewhere.” He didn’t have to think about it, he just opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat of my warm car.

“Where can I take you?”
“The AMTRAK (long distance passenger train”

This didn’t make sense for a few reasons. I picked him out from walking out of the train station that would take him down up to Salt Lake were he actually could catch the AMTRAK. I told him that, but he wasn’t making much sense. I figured he wasn’t very mentally capable for a variety of reasons related to his homelessness so I took the liberty of helping him make the decision. I explained to him that I’d drive him back around the the platform where he could hop onto the Frontrunner to get off at Salt Lake Central and catch the AMTRAK which he said was going to take him to Seattle.

I pulled up to the platform, but he was really confused about the decision he was making. As kindly and decisively as possible, I asked him where he wanted me to take him and I explained to him his options based off the limited information I gathered about where he came from and where he needs to go. He wasn’t in my car for very long before I began see combination of his incapability to make a coherent decision and his poor physical condition as being something to worry about. He told me that he wasn’t well and that he needed help. He told me about his poor physical health and that he wasn’t well. So through a series of questions which he couldn’t answer very well, we made the decision that he was actually in a physical emergency and needed medical help. So I told him I’d drive him to the hospital which wasn’t far. On our way there he became worried about missing his train (of which the decision didn’t make much sense), and about his physical condition at the same time. He was capable enough to realize that he couldn’t help me decide what he needed and became really embarrassed, repeatedly calling himself dumb and apologizing. I told him not to worry and that I’d take care of him.

I’ve spared a few details for the sake of keeping this blog short, but I ended up helping this man to the hospital where the nurses (whom I had briefed about his situation) kindly wheeled him inside.

I cant help but to wonder and see how strange it is that I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I inconveniently (or conveniently) missed my own train down to Salt Lake. I’m so grateful to have helped that man, and I think about him often. I know the creator watches over him and his wellbeing, and there only reason I was there was to be a servent and a vessel of the creation.

Sat Nam

Erik H.