Monday Morning Boost: Paul of Balboa Park
I met Paul this past week in San Diego. My family and I were there visiting our son Clint who is a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. We visited the base, spent a day at the San Diego Zoo, and toured the Mormon Battalion Museum.
We slept in, walked on the beach, watched movies, read books, and spent plenty of time playing Rummy, UNO, and 3/13. Friday it was finally warm enough to play in the water and attempt to boogie board with my girls.
We met Paul after we finished our day at the zoo while eating a picnic lunch at Balboa Park, right next to the zoo. Paul was across the lawn enjoying the afternoon sun. I wanted to know more about the park and Paul was great to fill me in. Paul appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He was clean-cut. He was well-spoken. And he was also homeless.
Paul took us on a short guided tour of Balboa Park, his home for the past year – the pipe organ pavilion, museums and history centers, theatres, the United Nations buildings, and the many beautiful gardens. We could have spent a week in Balboa Park and barely touched the surface. As it was, we spent an hour and Balboa Park touched us.
“I’m happy with life,” Paul told me, “but my mind and body don’t always work together.”
Paul had been homeless once before, a winter in Colorado where he lived in a tent. He used to be a truck driver. When he heard I was from Utah, he excitedly shared a few stories of his travels through Salt Lake City. “The Mormons are good people.”
We shared sandwiches and grapes with Paul; he asked if he could share with his friends. I could have spent a week with Paul and barely touched the surface of his life. As it was, we spent an hour and Paul touched our lives.
Our experience in Balboa Park causes me to ponder if there are people like Paul, beautiful people who will touch my life, hidden in plain sight all around me.
Maybe they are hidden in plain sight all around you as well.
Have a beautiful Monday! Thanks for letting me share,
I Love You!
Les
p.s. Take 13 minutes today to focus on noticing the hidden people around you.
Photo by Sanguin2 from Pixabay
