Every Person Has A Story

Sonder

“The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed…”

Sonder, is this a word? Well, it has some urban roots (meaning someone started it and lots of others started using it) and I liked it, when I read it, because I truly believe “every person has a story.”

One of the cool things that happens, when you walk the Camino, is you get to meet lots of other pilgrims doing the same thing. In short order, you become bonded together by your experience. Terri and I, met lots of great people from all over the world and they all had a story to tell, not just of their experience on the Camino, but of their lives. Over the time, we collected a “network of pilgrims”. What was really cool, was at the end of the walk, we ended up connecting back together again with many of the “pilgrim friends”. It was fascinating to learn of each other’s stories.

It is one of life’s lessons we all need to learn, every person has a story, and sometimes the stories are not pretty because live is complex.

“For life is difficult for everyone. Everyone is hurting. We don’t need to blame anyone. We are all beset with the same issues. Understanding and accepting this truth can help us forgive each other and then forgive ourselves.” (Fr Ron Rolheiser, Wrestling with God)

There is something powerful in this when we view the world this way.

I seen this in the last year, as I have spent considerable time with my friend, Rob, who is homeless. I thought I knew his story but I did not. It was only when I “walked with him in his pain” that I began to start to understand his story, and yes, the story was not as I thought. His story has affected my story and I have have learned powerfully, “every person has a story”. I now try my best to hold to suspend my judgment and tell myself, I wonder what this person’s story is?

I hope this inspires you as well to ask this question, when you encounter another “pilgrim” that is making their way through life.

Blessings to you all!

John

Photograph of the Week

Waiting For The Storm

“Good art is good precisely because it takes that complexity and shines a light on it in a way that doesn’t resolve the tension too easily.” (Fr Ron Rolheiser, Wrestling with God).

I liked this quote as it “hit a cord” with me. I always try with my photography to “tell a story”.

The image I selected for this week’s “Photograph of the Week”, is one I took back in 2009, and has been my best seller by far and is truly loved for the story it seems to tell.

The image is complex and it does not resolve the tension. You want to linger on the Adirondack chairs by the shore, but there is a huge rainstorm coming. You should leave quick but something about the color of the waters and the beauty of this coming storm makes you want to linger despite the approaching rainstorm. So you stay because

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”  Bob Marley