ACCEPTING THE STRANGER

     When the weather outside is frightful, Martha and I get some of our exersize the way old folk often do. We walk the mall. Last week with both of us havving separate commitments, I wound up at the mall by myself.  Not to be cheated out of my walk, I took off alone.  Soon I realized I was not alone at all.  There were hundreds of people of all ages, sizes. colors. and physical condition walking the mall, shopping, hanging out.  To entertain myself I wondered what it would be like to meet with accepting eyes each person that passed me.  Key word: accepting.  By definition this means to me I would try to see them without judgement.  I allowed myself no descriptions such as cute, ugly, stylish, gross, stupid, intelligent, fat, thin, etc.  This little experiment of course was to serve no great purpose. It was just to take people the way they are.  So far as I could tell it had no effect on them at all. If they even looked at me (which was rare) they would not read much in my expression.  This was a serious study and I had to remain focussed! It was my own game of solitaire.  While nothing was happening in them, to be this intentionally accepting of that many of God's creations for forty-five minutes, had a profound effect on me.  I found as I walked an inner peace, joy,and love for all humans far beyond those hundreds of my traveling pilgrims.