Talking with John

I had the most WONDERFUL experience... I met John... he stopped by today at my yardsale and was chatting with me... didn't see anything in the decor and shoes that he could use. :)  But he did notice the mini-frig.  He examined it and noticed how nice it was... but then he left... later he buzzed back by my yardsale again and noticed a few more thing had moved that he had seen.... and then he directly asked me, "If you don't sell the frig would you consider giving it to me before you give it to goodwill?" ... I had to think for a few seconds... hmmm... "I don't see why not."  So he said, with a beautiful grin on his face, that he would come back by at the end of my yardsale... and as I was packing up thing, I was actually expecting him to come by... but I had everything packed and left the frig out by the sidewalk... wondering if he'd come and get it later.... well... not long after I'd closed my door, I hear a knock on it... it was John... and he was there to pick up the frig and any other items that I thought he could possibly use.... he looked at the items I had and picked up two of the sofa pillows.  :)  Everything else was decor and non-necessity items... I then started to have the most wonderful conversation that lasted about an hour and a half.... John is 61 years old, has figured himself out (he said he thinks he has anyway), and he is homeless; He has traveled many places and has been following his passion... to hear him talk about the ease with which he can get to where he wants to be ... at any given moment... made me think of The Secret (sorta)... he merely sets in his mind that he wants to be somewhere, figures what it will take to get there, also calculates what he is willing to sacrifice to get there and... makes it happen.  He told me about stories of going to Hawaii and living well enough to experience a vacation unlike any other ... although parts of his stories did *challenge* my comfort zones, a room to stay in but you have to use the shower outside that has only cold water... eeek... well, the way he explained it made it feel like it was still a joy and blessing to have done it... he exuded gratitude and joy in his stories that just moved me.... this, as he put it, "tramp"... vagabond, traveler, gypsy... the names he used he just rolled his eyes at them... but his smile and the glorious smile in his eyes remained the entire time... he encouraged me... and from the hour and a half.... I walk away with two very beautifully profound words of wisdom:

"Give your dreams feet."

"When you are dreaming, set yourself up to succeed."

Among many other brilliant things that I feel are meant just for me... I can't remember everything verbatim but I feel like I walked away from the conversation absolutely blessed and enriched!  What a wonderful human being!!!  I am happy I met John.

Conversation topics:  homelessness, happiness, personal responsibility, passions, what is life, what is love, building dreams, religion, his conversations with god, his beliefs, his love of Hawaii, surviving, what two things would you eat in order to go to any place in the world.... and on and on... :)

Oh... if we all could meet more people like John in our lives.... they are close enough, you know... :)


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