Tarot Cards, Hope, & Community

We are a people hungry for questions and listening, and people who will simply sit down across from us and have a conversation - especially at our most vulnerable times.

A couple days ago I was at my favorite local cafe doing some writing.  A woman came in and sat down at the table next to mine.  She was carrying an odd shaped box - obviously containing something very special.

A few minutes later a young man came in, looking somewhat hopeless and in need.  The two of them spoke and obviously were there to meet each other.  Was I about to eavesdrop onto a blind date?  Not so much.

Within seconds the mysterious box was opened and the woman placed a handful of mystical tarot cards on the table.  The man's hopelessness did a 180.  You could see the eagerness for answers in his eyes.

She poked and prodded in the most open-ended ways, that anyone might have been able to come to an equal amount of vague, future-conclusions this fortune teller conjured.

The whole meeting probably didn't last more than 20 minutes, but I saw a once fearful and lost man, leave with certainty and hope.

Now I don't believe that anything this fortune teller said or read, had any actual bearing on this man's future.  But what I do believe is that this man was at rock bottom and needed someone's ear.  He had her's (at a decent price tag), and in this act of human interaction, he once again was filled with hope of a future.

Perhaps the truth behind this fortune teller's ability, is her capacity to listen and offer hope (even if she's making a decent profit).  After all it wasn't that long ago that "professional mourner" was an actual thing...

Maybe this world needs more people that will journey with us in hope.  Maybe the woman sitting beside me needs the same, but isn't to the point of conjuring the dead.  Maybe in this age of technology, individualism, and cynicism, all we really need is each other.  We've been given the capacity to love and listen, and extend grace and compassion with limitless restrictions.

Let's try that.

Peace,
Ross

Pan De Libros

Kate spent the weekend in Baltimore, MD with our best friends, the Schultz'.  There, she and Katie brainstormed and wrote a children's book that will be available in the coming months (much more info about that later). But more importantly, they dreamed and created a vision for changing a community in Anapra, Mexico.

{this is from Katie's blog, Schultz Party of Four}

 Though the front porches of Anapra look out over the Mexico - U.S. border onto the verdant lawns of the United States, many of the luxuries we take for granted are not readily available to their community. Paved streets, potable water, steady employment, safety, even education - none are guaranteed to our neighbors to the south - and neither are books.

Perhaps we can change that...

However, the vision is growing, taking root in the hearts of many in the U.S. and Anapra to provide more literature, a place for community, and HOPE. The next step in the good work being done in Anapra is taking shape, the shape of a library... and I couldn't be more excited!!! A location has been identified, supply costs are being assessed, and a plan is developing!

And in order to coordinate the efforts that will surely require the compassionate and generous contributions of numerous partners in the U.S. to empower these impacts, the Pan de Libros (Bread of Books) collaboration group has been formed. Our goal: to promote education, community, and hope by providing books to families across the border.

As we develop this initiative you can follow our progress:
twitter
facebook

{READ THE ENTIRE PIECE HERE}

There's a WHOLE LOT MORE that I'll be rolling out in the coming weeks and months, but for now, keep up-to-date via twitter and facebook.

Paz,
Ross