A Different "Pirate"

Outside my window, a ray of sunshine amidst the winter gray reminds me of the warmth and light always present, the spring waiting to reemerge.  My despondency about our current economic climate reminds me of this cloudy day.  I joined friends and family over the holiday season venting our frustrations about the financial atrocities carried out by captains of industry.  We were amazed at their depth of piracy and condemned their actions.  Our worries and fears for our own future overshadowed the days.

Last week, though, a figurative ray of light burst through the gray haze.  I was on my way to lunch, just pulling out of my parking space, when I noticed a ball of fur next to the dumpster.  I stopped to investigate, gingerly approached the moving fur, and saw a lop-eared rabbit, someone's pet.  But I did not see anyone searching for it.

"What to do?" was my first reaction.  I decided to get lunch and, should the bunny still be there when I returned, start looking for its owner.  I anticipated knocking on neighbor's doors and putting water out for the rabbit.  

Twenty minutes passed and, pulling back into the parking area, I noticed a flyer stuck to a nearby utility pole.

LOST BUNNY

"PIRATE"

tan, lop-eared

If found, call: ...

I checked.  The rabbit was now hiding under the abandoned Christmas tree behind the dumpster.  I called the number on the flyer and soon the owner and her son appeared to rescue their pet.  But the story did not end there.

When I'd stepped outside my front door to meet the owners, giving them direction by cell phone, I inadvertently locked the door and walked out without my keys.  Fortunately, I discovered this mistake before they drove off. There was no contingency plan, no key stashed under a pot.  But the mother and son insisted on "breaking in" to my home, saving me a call to a locksmith.  She ventured back and forth between our homes, returning with various tools.  Other neighbors also stopped to offer help.  Our pooled resources finally solved the dilemmas of the lost pet and the locked door.

Gratitude exchanged, I went inside.  Despite shivering from standing in the winter cold without a coat, I was filled with warmth from the experience.

Later in the day I shared the inspirational story with friends at my yoga class.  I noticed the growth of an emotional glow each time I described Pirate's and my rescue--the power of simple acts of kindness.

I returned home hours later and received a call from the mother.  She'd left a Thank You gift on my front doorstep.  I found a pound cake, still warm and fresh from her oven wrapped in plastic.  Again my heart filled with the warmth of her generosity and gratitude.

Times of crisis can breed deep feelings of fear and anxiety.  Pirate's owners searched for hours and gave up hope of finding him.  But a series of serendipitous events restored him to his home and generated a momentary bond of community between strangers.

I believe those warm rays of humanity are the true foundation of wealth.  I don't know about you, but I am resolving today, and in the coming year, to pass on this lesson of generosity.

The spirit of community is a powerful force, the constant sun behind the changing cycles of life.  We cannot ignore the reality of our current economy any more than I could ignore the reality of getting caught without a coat in the winter cold.  But the clouds of winter and the sun's warmth are interrelated just as community and our economic climate are connected.

When the financial crisis began, I was angry along with everyone else.  I participated in community by sowing seeds of fear and rage.  Discovering a community centered on kindness and jointly solving a crisis led to a new awareness and choice.  Did I want to focus on the greed of others, generating feelings of helplessness, distrust, and tension in my body?  Or, did I want to open the door to the spirit of kindness and limitless generosity available within my own heart?

Like a ray of sunlight, one Pirate opened the hearts of strangers and fueled the resolution of a crisis.  The rapid expansion of emotional connection, trust, and generosity multiplied (like the economic dollar) throughout the day. Genuine wealth can never be stolen.

I'm ending this entry with the desire to explore this foundation of community on a deeper, personal level.  I want to apply my training in systems theories to this experience and see how I can build this wealth into all areas of my life.  In addition, I think it important to live in the reality of our current climate and explore how to respond from a centered position.  I'll share more in the coming weeks.