Sense

Sense

Soft, rich, brown skin caresses my arm
Reassurance that someone is there
Someone cares
Rocking back and forth
Back and forth to the sound of the R&B hits
Music flows through the foam earphones to the ears of a woman in which sound is the
gateway to the world
Where irises and pupils should be there is nothing but a cloud of white
Sight is darkened
A soft raspy voice speaks words of univeral religion
All under one true God
Baptism in love
Love, love, love
Baptism in acceptance
Acceptance, acceptance, acceptance
Baptism in oneness
Oneness, oneness, oneness
This is the voice that should be listened to
But so often is drowned out by the loundess of tradition
Quiet
Listen
Why must we lose a sense to truly appreciate and fully grasp another?
Shut your eyes!
Shut your mouth!
Be still and listen!
Listen to those who are the least of these
Listen to those who are poor in spirit
Then you will learn what this life is about because they are the truly blessed.

I wrote this after I spent the afternoon at the St. Anthony's Adult Care center. It is a place that is paid for by medicare for the elderly and those who are diabled to come and connect with others. Many of them live by themselves in SRO's, which are single room occupencies and are not nice places to live, so they need a place to be around other people and to be active. A simple thing we so often take for granted. I sat at a table with a 48 year old African-American woman named Brenda who was blind, and another woman named Louise.
The woman I first described is Brenda. As soon as I sat down she did not stop touching me. Running her hand up and down my arm and sometimes reaching up to my hair and face. It was moving because she didn't even need to talk the whole time. Her basic need was to be touched and to touch. How often do we take hugging our parents and siblings for granted. Or being around our friends and being able to joke around and wrestle. Brenda lived by herself in a cheap flat, which is about $660 a month in the worst part of town living on a government check which is about $659 a month, and saw coming to the adult center as privelege. With the money the government was providing she struggled to barely buy food yet, she saw being around others in a room and watching TV as a privelege. Sometimes they would play Bingo and do arts and crafts but to her this was her world.
The second woman named Louise was quite an interesting woman. At first I could not tell if she was a woman or a man, and in this city that isn't out of the normal, because she had a beanie on, long sweatpants, and a jacket. Take note that it was about 90 out and the Adult care center does not have AC but only a fan. I finally realized Louise was a woman when she asked if I could paint her fingernails. Of course I obligied and massaged her wrinkled old hands that were the most unique colored skin I think I have seen. Not black, not brown, almost white but you could tell there was something else there. As we began to talk, with Brenda still cluching my arm, I asked her what she believed in because she kept on bringing up how she had to baptise Brenda. She said that she hadn't been baptised yet and wouldn't be until all religions were one. We all worship the same God in her ancient eyes. From Hindu's, Muslims, Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Buddists, and beyond. I asked her who would lead such a church and without hesitation says ever so slightly...me. I smile and ask what this universal religion would be founded upon. She said love and acceptance because we need to be one. This struck me. Isn't this was Christ has called us to. Hasn't He called us to love, too accept, to be one body? Then why are we so divided and continue to divide ourselves even more over little ritual things? I don't have the answers and even though Louise offered a rather unique answer I feel that it is going to have to be something even more radical and mind blowing then this little old ladies answers to the worlds religious problems.
I just wanted to share this with all of you so you can think and ponder. I love and miss you all!!

Love,
Adrienne