Being Noticed

A couple of days ago I was sitting on the bus, when i was taken a back by this experience: A 50 year oldish blind Chilean man made his way onto the bus and sat directly facing me. It was interesting to see the lack of human contact. Chilean society, sadly like most, do not converse or talk on public transportation so all that is present is tension. The tension between wanting to be alone and wanting to be known. This old man, who, I believe had passed most of his life without being known, so he did something very peculiar. I watched the man play with a sticker for about 5 minutes trying to separate the back from the sticker. I thought at first that he was simply enjoying the differences in the textures. Yet, after he triumphed he took the sticker, about the size of my palm and placed in on the window. The sticker ended up being a advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarettes, which was made an interesting juxtaposition against how much life it gave him. His ear to ear smile portrayed the sense of accomplishment that he had in being able to perfectly apply the sticker to the window. I think that this image shows a prime example of our need to be known, our constant search of acceptance and place. This man had no idea of what he was putting up but he did know that HE was the one putting it there. It only mattered to the man that he had made a difference, that he or something that he did was being noticed.

I know that this is something that i struggle with the horrible paradox of wanting to be alone and to be known at the same time. Being alone is easier, one is risking less, there is no need to pass through the darkness of our souls if we are willing to simply live alone. But to be known, we must first know ourselves, we must pass through the darkness of our own sins, faults and follies to find out what we are. At this finding of this sacred place, one where we have transcended our fears, we are able to find our soul. Then after finding this we have the ability to find others. We have been given grace and talents by God, it is time for us to use them. We must try and take the time to notice this gestures, to look to help and acknowledge the presence of God in each of us.
I challenge each of you during the upcoming holiday season to challenge yourself to make yourselves known, being it simply placing stickers or sharing souls, make yourself known.