Seeing Past the Mask
Bruce…felt something immediately shift inside him as a new view of humanity
washed over him…[he]conceded he made a friend that night. Though he did not fully understand what had happened, in his heart he knew it was important...
-The Miracle Collectors
September is nearly gone and with it the fleeting remnants of summer. As we embrace the feverish pace of fall, may we still take time to relish the beauty of the change of seasons, the transition in schedules, and the shortening of our beloved daylight hours. As Joan writes about in this month's blog, sometimes the change needs to be in our perspective, in our view of the world, and of the people in it.
Collecting Miracle Moments One Story at a Time.
Joan and Katie
G. K. Chesterton, a man who has been called the Apostle of Common Sense, wisely wrote, “We men and women are all in the same boat upon a stormy sea. We owe each other a terrible and tragic loyalty.” It’s a quote that Katie found years ago and while originally I liked it, I’ve come to appreciate its meaning even more in the last few months, as like many of us the seas have indeed been stormy.
Having just spoken at two wonderful events this past weekend, the Pebble Beach Authors and Ideas Festival and our local chapter of the Christ Child Society, I met a number of people for whom the notion of patience, compassion, and respect for each other is how they try to connect with others. We are all in the same boat and sailing on the same stormy sea, which is why the example of Pacific Grove (CA) photographer Bob Sadler is so important. Bob captures the spirit of the homeless men he photographs as part of his IHelp volunteer effort (a program that offers homeless men and women a place to sleep, a shower, and three meals). He helps the men see a part of themselves they thought was lost. At first, he thought it was coincidence that those he photographed found jobs and homes, but it was far more.
As one client explained, “That museum quality print that you give them, it has an impact. When they get into their sleeping bags at night, they put that picture under their pillow. When they wake up, they look at the picture rather than looking in the mirror. They say to themselves...Hey, you’re a good-looking guy! You deserve a job! You deserve a place to live! And with that new attitude they go out and get a job. Six out of ten. That 3x the normal recovery rate…And that’s why I want you to take my picture tonight.”
Bob’s portraits see past the mask so many of us wear, especially in difficult times, and he is able to expose a vulnerable facet of their soul in the men he photographs. He illustrates a powerful commonality of spirit between his subjects and the rest of humanity. So many times we see what we expect to see when instead, we need a way to be less judgmental, not only of others, but of ourselves as well, allowing us to look in the mirror without criticism and with acceptance and love. In short, sometimes we need to change the paradigm of our thinking, even for those things we take for granted or thought we knew for sure.
It is a message at the core of our interactions today where so much of the media tries to focus on our differences instead of finding and celebrating our commonalities with each other. Each of us has concerns that trouble us, how we react to those issues may be steeped in the circumstances of our daily life, our upbringing, our faith, or our mental health. Finding common ground and deepening connection with each other often helps us in surprising ways like the story of Bruce in The Miracle Collectors (p. 98) whose interaction with the homeless man carried the important message he needed to hear. As Socrates and so many others who have come after him have said, “Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Truly words to remember and live by. (Joan)