when i was a little kid growing up in bethesda, md.,
i dreamed big. president of the united states, nobel
prizes and such. big yachts, like the ones i saw
during my summer visits to the chesapeake bay.
but as it turned out, the architecture of my life was
small. small moments, shared most often between
two people, serendipitously, in the streets of nyc.
in these moments, i try to bring everything i have;
knowledge, experience, skills or talents, or
other intangible human qualities i might possess;
anything the moment requires, trying to leave out,
of course, anything the moment doesn't.
i try to meet people wherever they are, truly.
and in these moments, many things happen; often
surprising, often unexpected, sometimes useful,
not always pleasant; but hopefully, always real,
always authentic.
this is what i aspire to. i don't always get there,
but like macy gray, i try.
i knew from the outset that the traditional
practice of seeking money for one's "services"
in this sort of existence was going to be
thoroughly impractical, and, even worse,
downright counterproductive.
imagine a bumblebee negotiating the
terms of landing rights with every flower,
then haggling over the price of each
grain of pollen picked up, each grain
deposited, each drop of nectar sipped.
i thought that if i could live in the
world in a way which didn't require
money for my daily existence, this
dream life of mine would be possible.
i reached out to my community, to those
around me, asking only for a meal or two
every day, and shelter from the elements
at night.
that is the purpose of this missive,
dear reader.
if you, or anyone you know would like
to offer me shelter from the elements
for a night, either now, or sometime in
the future, i would be most appreciative.
i realize this is a very uncommon way
of living; an uncommon thing to ask for,
and a very uncommon thing to share
with another person.
and i want you to know that i feel your
love and support no matter what your
ability or desire is to accommodate or
not accommodate this specific request.
with kind regards and love always,
hippie lou :) xo
