Iggy and the Stooges in Toronto
It was a very interesting weekend. I flew to Chicago to see an amazing friend, who is not at all spiritual. He and I grew up together and share a common interest in music. We actually went to see a band called Iggy and the Stooges on Sunday and had a blast.
Iggy is a 63-year-old, ex-drug addict rocker who is referred to as the Godfather of Punk Rock. The age range of the audience went from 18 to 50's and even 60s. Hilarious.
Iggy is a rather tragic figure, who still looks amazing onstage in his signature shirtless attire. He is still stage diving, seeking that intimacy with the crowd that he may lack in his personal life. At one point (to security's horror) Iggy invited everyone to come up on stage for a song and a dance. So we did! What a riot.
Before the show, my friend and I walked and walked all over the streets of Chicago and I continued to pray for some opening for talking about spiritual things. There were moments, but we have had this conversation many times before and he knows how I feel and what I believe.
Since that knowledge is established, it was even more important to walk the walk.
Before I left LA on Friday, I was talking to a friend, who advised me about falling into old ways. He told me of a visual example, where one person is standing on a chair and the other is on the ground. Which is easier he asked me, for one to pull their friend up onto the chair, or for the one on the floor to pull the other down off of the chair?
It's far easier to pull one down off of the chair. That is the caution to you and me.
In Chicago, there were many opportunities to demonstrate character and generosity.
I got into the habit of giving to many of the street people there begging. They are plentiful and many of them are sincerely in need. Generosity is contagious.
Several women with small children were on the street with particularly heartbreaking stories. It is easy to keep walking by them until you start giving and listening to them. One was on the street waiting for her apartment to be approved so she could get off the street, hopefully before the weather turns brutally cold as it does as early as September in the windy city.
Pray for these people and for all of the homeless and help out where you can.
Iggy is a rather tragic figure, who still looks amazing onstage in his signature shirtless attire. He is still stage diving, seeking that intimacy with the crowd that he may lack in his personal life. At one point (to security's horror) Iggy invited everyone to come up on stage for a song and a dance. So we did! What a riot.
Before the show, my friend and I walked and walked all over the streets of Chicago and I continued to pray for some opening for talking about spiritual things. There were moments, but we have had this conversation many times before and he knows how I feel and what I believe.
Since that knowledge is established, it was even more important to walk the walk.
Before I left LA on Friday, I was talking to a friend, who advised me about falling into old ways. He told me of a visual example, where one person is standing on a chair and the other is on the ground. Which is easier he asked me, for one to pull their friend up onto the chair, or for the one on the floor to pull the other down off of the chair?
It's far easier to pull one down off of the chair. That is the caution to you and me.
In Chicago, there were many opportunities to demonstrate character and generosity.
I got into the habit of giving to many of the street people there begging. They are plentiful and many of them are sincerely in need. Generosity is contagious.
Several women with small children were on the street with particularly heartbreaking stories. It is easy to keep walking by them until you start giving and listening to them. One was on the street waiting for her apartment to be approved so she could get off the street, hopefully before the weather turns brutally cold as it does as early as September in the windy city.
Pray for these people and for all of the homeless and help out where you can.
Especially pray for the lost, like Iggy who are looking for meaning in the temporal and the unsatisfying things of this world.
Walk the walk and talk it too.
Peace,
John
No comments:
Post a Comment