Be kind
Today i met Jessica.
I was walking to the calisthenics park shortly after 7 in the morning. There is usally no one there beside me but today a woman of about 30 years of age was walking around there.
As i started to get ready to work out she approched me and asked me if i worked here. At first i did not understand what she meant and told her that i just work out here. She was apparently fascinated how new and big the place was and wanted to talk to someone who was somhow affiliated with the grounds.
We chatted for a minute or so and then i started my workout. She started to wander around again. After a few minutes she came back, sat down on a bench and asked me if i would mind if she watched me a little. I did not mind. Even when she took out her phone and started filming me.
In my pauses between sets she started to tell me a lot about her.
She was walking here. Already walked 8 km through the night and wanted to go even further. She tried to hitch a ride, but no one would take her. Now her feet were hurting. She wanted to get to a town that is by car about 30min away but by foot about 8h. But she wanted to get there either way, because she said that she owned a house there.
She told me she spent the last few days with a couple of guys, 'street-kids' that let her sleep in their basement. But it was cold and she didn't like that they were locking her up in the basement sometimes.
Her plan was to not only have one house, but lots of houses and to start a community of like minded people where everyone helps one another.
She was very passionate about this project of hers and got a bit angry when she started to tell me about her frustrations about the state of the world. How no one is there for one another anymore. How no one picks up the trash anymore. That she picks up trash when she is walking around. That she does not care what other people think of her when she does that. That she had been sober for 7 years now. That she has a kid.
There are a lot of things going on in her life. It's not always easy she told me. But she would't want it any other way. Nothing worse then boredeom, she said.
When i finished my workout i shook hands with her. I wished her the best of luck. 'Take care Jessica.'
I thought about her on my way home. A lot of the stuff she told me didn't make much sense to me. But i listened to her. Tried to be kind.
And left her.
I started to ask myself if i could have done more. Why didn't i offer to take her to where she wanted to go? I have a car. It would have been a bit inconvenient for me, but not as inconvenient as it is for her to walk 8 hours or try to hitch a ride with whomever.
Why didn't i do that? Instead of saying 'take care', actually doing something good for a stranger. I was starting to feel guilty. Then i thought: 'I can still do this. She is probably still sitting by the calisthenics park by the time i get home. I can just get in my car, drive there and pick her up!'
I got home. And when i started to took of my shoes i realized that i weren't going to do that. I got in the shower and got ready for work.
Take care Jessica.