Miriam

I have been watching a show by the actress who was in Harry Potter - Miriam Margoles. In it she travels across Australia meeting people. The show tackles some great issues and precious moments.

While she is in Melbourne she stops in at Vinnie's Thrift Store and meets a young man who works there. His name is Butch and he sat with her and told his story,

He was originally from Afghanistan by way of Indonesia. When he was 11 his parents and siblings were killed by the war. He ended up stowing away on a boat headed for Australia because he had no money. When he got to Australia he was issued a protection temporary visa.

She asked him about the trip. He said he was all alone but knew coming to Australia would bring something better into his life. She asked him his age; he got emotional because he had no idea about his birthday or age. He had no one in his life who could tell him because they were all gone.

He got to Australia and started working and learning the language. She asked him how he was doing. He answered with some profound thoughts. He said, "I have a place to live, I have food, I have a job. I am safe and will not get a bomb blowing me up tonight or a bullet in my head. Being safe is so important!"

She wanted to know how the past impacts him. He said to be happy he must love to the future, not back to the past. The past is gone and is over. He must face forward and keep moving to the next goal.

It made me realize that most of us in this country can't really understand those kind of feelings. Most of us have always been safe: it is part of the American landscape. We think about the hardships that face us and we hear a story like this. We realize how lucky we are to have ended in the life we have. We are in the top 10% of wealth, of safety, of medical support, and of abundance. It is all around us.

Years ago there was a movement that brought a large contingent of Russians to the Sacramento area. One of the common problems was having too many choices. Russian women would end up spending hours in a supermarket because of all the different brands of one product. They couldn't decide and often were found in front of an aisle unable to choose. There was a support group to help set up.

I found that when the segment with Butch occurred it brought up something for me I hadn't thought about. I am just turning 76 and my health challenges have made me more fragile than at any other time in my life. I am not the buff, well-built jock I once was. So I find myself being more careful when I am out and about. I have become part of the generation of elders and our generation often are targets for fraud and abuse. What a difference! Part of safety the becomes with working with people you can trust. This ranges from your auto mechanic to your computer repair man to the handy man to do things you once did.

It's another one of the new norms. It is the continued being safe and setting up a safe world. As a minister, I was always working on sacred space. Now it also includes safe place. How is your safe place?