I have a daily habit of walking a circuit that includes city streets. You see everything and every walk of life on the sidewalks – men, women, teenagers, children, white, black, brown, walking, in-line-skating, on a bicycle. I see at times dogs, cats, bunnies, squirrels, ground hogs, birds, fish in a pond, lots of grass, leaves, twigs and trash.
I also Big Gulp cups, coffee cups, gum wrappers, food wrappers, cigarette butts, cigar butts, string, fuzz from Cottonwood trees, rocks where they should and shouldn’t be and metal seating and potential passengers at bus stops.
I was on a walk when I found it. It was a half crumpled up note on an index card from somebody. It was in readable printing and after perusing it, I decided to put it in my pocket and closely examine later. After I got back to my desk, I laid the note aside and went on about the day.
It was three weeks later when I pulled out a paper and the note card came out with it. I suddenly remembered it and set it aside to read during lunch. I read it, wondered who this person was – I probably have passed him before on my walks. Maybe it wasn’t a man, but a woman writing about a man?
Maybe it was self-examination. Maybe it was an assignment for psychoanalysis. Maybe it was a class assignment for high school or college. You take a look and make up your own mind. Maybe it was nothing but thoughts on a card.
On one side it said:
“If I’m feeling down, I can pick myself up. All I got to do is give a shout out to the most high & do it myself and it’s gonna get done. Don’t worry about a thing. Fight for what you love & believe in and enjoy your day. It’s gonna be a good one. Don’t let nothing bother you. Be the change you want to see
Love, attention, respect”
On the other side:
“Happy, elated, productive, motivated, creative, empowered, enthusiastic, bold, courageous, strong
I hold a lot of power as a man
Non-judgmental, love, peace, balance, equanimity, innocence, detachment.”
I found the note intriguing but was wondering why the need to put these words on the card. When you have to put something to paper like this, you are trying to reinforce what you think of yourself. You are wondering, questioning, and analyzing yourself and your motives. Looking at your life and attributes and shortcomings and facing your fears. Something triggered this person to put feelings and attributes on paper.
Sometimes we just need to do that and put it on paper to take an assessment of where we are at in life. I hope this author finds what he (or she) is looking for. The words have been used many times before by those seeking answers. I hope the answers are forthcoming so the author can feel good about where he is in life and can move forward, making progress, living a good, responsible, moral life. Isn’t that what we all desire?
