Yesterday on the way home from teaching, I had several different kinds of experiences on the bus. In fact, there have been several kinds of experiences that usually don't happen on Sun Metro that have happened. The question that has come to my mind throughout the past month is: Who is Jesus? Grace and the law works differently based on who Jesus is to everyone in America whether or not
First, rarely is the bus ever empty. Usually I am not on it by myself with a couple other people or one other person. This one particular day, I was on the bus with someone I recognized from the Temple where I pray. It seemed unusual to me when I heard him on Yom Kippur standing behind me as his voice was very strong, but it he was obviously new to the group. Next, he was at a Torah Study where I was and introduced himself as wanted to learn about God's culture, but had a KJV Bible with him at Temple. While choosing to skip over the obvious archaic transliteration of the scriptures that really should be left to Renaissance scholars, I had a short conversation with him through which he chose about five words from a verse in Ephesians to understand my entire theological understanding. It is impossible to do so. This day on the bus, there was the driver, this guy, a woman in front of me, and myself. He introduced himself as John at the Torah Study, so I'll just continue with that name to refer to him. The woman in from of me was a blonde and tall. She seemed to be slumming it as she rode the bus. People whom ride Sun Metro get used to the others whom are there. I have a medical issue that involves something called verbalization. As I get more stressed, the symptom appears more and can be controlled somewhat with changing my breathing. I don't always know that I am doing it, but when I do I change my breathing.
The woman was sitting in the seat in front of me and John was sitting across from us in the other row. As I started to relax and the verbalization became more apparent, I said something that caused her to gasp. She was offended at something I said. I don't even remember what it was, but she literally gasped because she heard something she didn't like. So, I apologized and explained that it was a symptom and not to take it personally. Ultimately for me, she's on Sun Metro. It's not a limo. Other kinds of people are there. People who are different. If I need to change my breathing for the person in from of me on the bus, then her ego needs to be placed into check. Essentially, mature adults don't take everything personally. Since she obviously did, to me, that means that she can't handle human beings in public. As soon as I apologized for the verbalization, her whole body relaxed. Seriously, if your whole biochemistry and muscle tension changes because you hear someone behind you say something, you probably have a narcissistic issue. It also means that you aren't actually able to work to me or don't ever work. I don't accept that women are so fragile that they can't overhear something and not take it personally. That's the reason people think that women can't function as well as others in American society and throughout the world. If I have to worry about you being so fragile that you might swoon, then "Scarlett" go home.
Later that night riding home, there were people talking about a court case. They were mad at a judge. The judge ruled in favor of a soldier whom had come back from Afghanistan instead of a woman in an apparent divorce so that he didn't have to pay child support or alimony. The woman telling the story was furious because he was "acting crazy." I immediately knew -- PTSD of some type. Leave the man alone. He's not acting. Hurray for the judge, except for child support. Those kids should have received something and was it possible to give him the kids with some added assistance. He's not acting crazy. That's real. If you marry a soldier, he ready for the realities of war.
Last night, there was a homeless man which also rarely happens on the bus. He was a younger man, looked like he had been on the street for about three months by the conditions of his hair and hygiene needs, and was politely talking with other people. What was fascinating to me is that, again, the people couldn't manage having a basic conversation with him. Talking doesn't cause anyone to catch a disease or become infected by anyone. He even tried to give someone a transfer pass, so the homeless man is even attempting to serve and help another person. Instead, of accepting his help, he was actually shunned more. He got off the bus before the main Eastside station, and I immediately thought that it would have been because of the guard or the amount of people who were there. It was as if he knew to get off the bus early. My responsibility in this is that I wanted to talk with him to find out if he had a place to stay. I'm currently exhausted by what I call food outreach and am looking into other avenues to be of service to other people. I'm exhausted by soup kitchens, food pantries, and community kitchens, but I digress. He seemed to carry everything he needed; at the same time, he had a little bit of newness to him. He hasn't been homeless long. He's getting fed somewhere. When I looked at him, I noticed his ability to serve others and his physique and thought veteran or migrant worker in some way. The people on the bus were relieved when he left because he desperately needed a shower. I wanted to give him one but had no where to take him. The only places I really know of accept women and children far more than men. It seems to be okay to leave men on the street more often than women and children when a man's life is just as valuable.
After I switched buses at the station, I was on another bus that seemed very different. It was quiet. There were a few people. The guard, whom is awesome, checked under the seats and the bus for people which is a constant check on the Eastside, but I've never seen anyone else do. We had a short conversation about not having seen one another for awhile. I had a break from teaching. It was good to see each other again. She was really friendly. I look forward to seeing her sometimes because she does her job.
If we all have a divine spark in us, then we wouldn't see one another based on clothing or what we do. We would not be so offended by other human beings that we gasp or think that others should live on the street for acting crazy. Essentially, some people were openly claiming Christianity by what they were saying to each other while not accepting science, medicine, and, well, reality. I am fascinated by the ways that people talk with one another one the bus. I have met every kind of person there is. It still seems to me that the less money a person has, the less that person is offended. It shames me to a point that Americans thrive in a society of shallowness. Shallowness is unethical. Bus culture includes everyone with a fare-ness even if traveling means that you are handed a transfer for being human. It is this humanness that gives the Spirit of God hands and feet to serve one another. It is fairness that allows every soul to unite in community with others without pretense. People who serve other people are embracing humanness which honors every understanding of a Supreme Being.
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