Stories of Kindness from Around the World

The three of us met this morning at a crowded cafe in downtown Manhattan. The streets outside wet-gleaming in the rain and blossoming with umbrellas. Me, and K and M. K a young woman I'd met only just this morning. A person with a wonderful spirit working towards finding balance through a challenging period in her life. M a woman I met two years ago in the park. A writer struggling with
writer's block and an internal inertia- who later attended an
informal poetry workshop we put together and wrote a beautiful little poem - her first in close to a year. So there we were- the three of us-
unexpectedly together (who can explain these things?). The napkins on the table were huge, white and irresistible. So of course we had to write a poem together. Because what else are huge, white, irresistible table napkins for? I started the first paragraph. M followed with two
of her own and K brought it all to a wonderfully fitting conclusion for us (after mildly protesting that she wasn't 'A Writer' :-)) We
made two more copies of it when we were through so that gave us each one to take home with us. Before leaving smile cards were passed around. Because there was something about the morning's encounter
that made it seem like we all had some paying-it-forward to do. Below is the napkin-poem we came up with...in some ways I think it captures exactly our collective experience... and even though it's still
raining outside- there's an inner sun shining for sure :-)

On Grey Days of the Soul...

Even when, outside your window, it's pouring rain-
It helps to remember that the sun
Still Is.
And there will always be the comforting warmth
Of fragrant tea, full hearts, and friends old and new.

As the rain swells the jasmine
blossom to its maturity and its delicate
bouquet finds its way to my cup
So does your very soul reach me across the table
With your sun-drenched warmth.

We merge and we meet, connections
Profound, savoring the strength and
Moving forth...

April 8th 2006
The French Roast
NYC