Sunday's are always great :) I love the Sabbath. You can't be unhappy with a day that God said I have to rest. Sunday's are always good days. To celebrate our first full Sunday in DC, our staff was invited over to Jason's house to meet his wife, and daughter Hannah (who is absolutely adorable). They opened their house to us, and gave us a great home cooked meal.
We also got to spend some time hanging out. As our time was winding down, we turned on the Soloist, and watched the last half of it.
The first time I watched that movie was over spring break. I remember watching it with mom and dad, and it having an impact on me that was stronger than most movies. There was something about Robert Downey Jr.'s character that I could relate to. He's a little lost, and a little confused. He's also successful in his appearance, trying his hardest and he has a love for Jamie Foxx's character that most people don't understand. I also remember watching Jamie Foxx's character and relating to that. He is stricken with poverty, but he knows his passion. I clearly haven't ever been poor, but I understand how he is content pursuing his passion.
Little did I know, 3 months after spring break, I would be watching that movie at my bosses house while I was preparing for a summer where I would face Urban poverty head on. The biggest difference between watching the movie the 1st time and watching it the 2nd time was the way that it changed my mindset. The first time I watched that movie, I thought that I could be a superhero to the poor. Robert Downey Jr.'s character seemed relatable to me. My thoughts were that I could 'save' someone, just like he wanted to do with Jamie Foxx's character.
Watching the movie the 2nd time, my mindset changed. It is more appropriately phrased by the last lines of the movie. Robert Downey Jr.'s character is reflecting on Jamie Foxx's character (Mr. Ayers), and says: "There are people who tell me I've helped him. Mental health experts who say that the simple act of being someone's friend can change his brain chemistry, improve his functioning in the world. I can't speak for Mr. Ayers in that regard. Maybe our friendship has helped him. But maybe not. I can, however, speak for myself."
My mentality as I go into this summer needs to stop being that of a superhero, and start being that of a friend.
Instead of going into this summer thinking that I can 'get down on their level' and 'help with my resources,' I need to be the opposite. I need to go into this summer realizing that I'm entering into partnerships with those who are more materially poor than I am. I may have time to sacrifice, and resources to give up, but I also have a lot that I can receive. I need to realize that the people I will meet have as much to teach me as I can teach them. This is the lesson that Robert Downey Jr.'s character learned, and it is a lesson I need to be proactive on. As work starts next week, I need to realize that I am entering into a relationship where I can provide materially, but I can also gain in ways that I may not even know I need aid.
It's getting late for tonight. But this is a lesson I need to remind myself of as I enter into the next few weeks. I need to make sure that I am treating the people I encounter as a friend, or a partner, rather than a project. They are, after all humans with much more life experience than I have to share. It would only seem irresponsible to not take my time I am with them and learn from what they have lived through.
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