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[bloomer]

Today, I was doing some work in a regular client's house, stepped out for a coffee. She works for the JPNDC (Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Comittee) and lives in Egelston square, part of Roxbury, which, though a 5 minute walk from where I live (JP, also part of roxbury), is considered the "wrong side of the tracks."
It's basically the ghetto, and the "nouveau JP" ( a moniker I apply to the new folks, generally white, moneyed, and generally not from actual Boston--yuppies if you prefer) have been trying to push the poor folks (mostly blackand latino) out of there and other neighborhoods for a long time (too many parentheses, I know, but my immediate neighborhood was done in the same way, and I liked it better when it was "ours").

It's a tough neighborhood, but also there are a lot of good people there, though many may be not highly educated (and here I put this in the classic academic sense), and definitely do not have money.

It's the "hood," and though I know these neighborhoods and how to conduct myself so as not to get killed (I'm 'down,' as it were), today in particular I was thinking how hard it would be to grow up in such a place as I was scouting for coffee (hate to say it, but the nearest coffee was at mcdonalds, which always seem to set up in the poor neighborhoods whereas are not allowed in the more well-to-do {meaning white} neighborhoods).
To make a short story long, I was empathising with the poor folks who have to put up with deprivation and violence every day--so much so that most people don't look at you on the street (unless they're ready to fight) and wondering what a cold world this can sometimes be.
Sitting on the front steps of the house I'm working on, a "homey" walked by carrying a baby. First off, I thought it great that there was a father who was taking care of his progeny (sad to say, but most of the kids don't really have that), but the thing that stuck with me was that the little girl looked over daddy's shoulder, as toddlers are wont to do, and I looked back, a bearded and scruffy handyman, white in a black neighborhood.
Unknown to anyone but we two, she smiled, and lifted her hand in a wave.
I waved back, and couldn't help but smile in return.

It was a moment of pure love and beauty in the midst of the harshest of landscapes. That is hope.

Sorry if the punch line took too long, but I would be interested to hear others' stories of such epiphanic moments in life, things that make you realize that in the direst of circumstances, love still rules eternal. . .

[whereshegoes]

Excellent topic

Recently, I bought a used car from a friend of a friend. I needed a car but this one was manual which I don't know how to drive. To top it off, it was a clown car.

I remember one day when I first started driving it, how nervous and insecure I felt. I would stall it all the time and get all embarrassed when other drivers would get annoyed. Not only were people staring at me because of my funny looking car, but also because I was the worst driver in the world.

Just as I was about to give up, and sell the thing, I was stopped at a crosswalk and a young boy of about 10 looked my car up and down and gave me the biggest grin. He nodded in approval and gave me a thumbs up.

After that, I decided that it would be ok. And now I drive it with no problem at all and you know, the color kinda suits me.

[siscri]

It's weird because I had this kind of thought just this morning.

I accidentally left my house a few minutes early, despite getting the same bus everyday, so I was the only one at the bus stop for a while, waiting. It's still pretty cold and I'm feeling tired because it's been a long week so far.

As always I was listening to music - at this point it was 'Such Great Heights' by Iron & Wine. On the other side of the road are a few kids waiting for a school bus as always.

Anyway, a couple of little girls were practicing traditional Irish dancing - I assume they've got some event coming up because of Paddy's day.

So I just kind watched them dancing in the middle of the street while listening to my own music and it was just awesome. Really beautiful. And it really made me glad to be exactly where I am.

[wakingdream]

I've been volunteering with the local S.P.C.A. for several years on and off.
A year or so ago, there was a younger kid, about 16 or 17 years old who got community service for getting introuble with the law. He was ordered to serve it at the shelter.

From the he first day he came in, he was, well, non too pleasant. He would never smile. He grumbled all the time, and was basically just a really miserable and angry kid. He would curse at the animals under his breath all the time and I got the impression he really hated being there.

One day we were working together, and I was looking for him b/c I needed help with a really large dog. I looked around a bit, and then I heard his voice. I found him, crouched in a pen with one of the 'meaner' dogs, scratching his ears and talking in this baby-talk voice to him. At first when the kid saw me, he looked as tho he had been caught red handed. then he smiled at me, a big, wide, goofy grin, and said "This dog is really nice, isn't he?'. It was like they were two peas in a pod, only one was a dog and one a kid, but both highly misunderstood creatures.

I knew then that no matter what kind of person you are, or how angry you might be, you cannot deny love from another.

[whereshegoes]

Once when I was wandering around in a park in Barcelona, I had a moment with a little guy who really made my day. We met lots of Spanish locals who were so eager to talk to us. I met adorable Franco who could not have been more than 4 years old. I was taking a picture of his family for them and I counted out...Un, Dos, and all of a sudden a very loud and exhuberant ´Tres!´ from our sweet little Franco. It was one of those expected precious moments that only children can produce.