MYSTERY MAN

As I stand and stare in amazement with my jaw to the floor, I start to drift off into the years of the past. All of my senses other than my sight start to disappear as I stand on a beautiful hilltop overlooking what still stands known as The Colosseum. Forgetting about all the tourists and travelers including myself that are aimlessly walking around this historic monument, my mind begins to take off. Thinking back on a time where becoming a man had a complete different meaning than what it is today.

A time where living was survival, and it was a mans job to protect and feed his family. Back when killing others in competition is what made you known as a fierce and respected male. Taking something or someones life was so common that you had to go above and beyond that just to be prideful of yourself.

Just before my mind completely takes off into a whole different world, one of my other senses brings me back to the present; the sense of touch. Even though I had picked a spot far away from any distractions to use as my place to take on my meditation, something still happened to interfere.

With a heart still overflowing with serotonin from the breathtaking view, I look down at my arm to see what it was that had come in-between my concentration and I. Realizing that what I’m seeing is an arm with a completely opposing color than my own matching the exact placement of mine, as if trying to give off some sort of mirroring effect. With total confusion I look up into the eyes of a man who seems to be doing nothing other than enjoying another day of being alive. Most would find this as being put in a situation of complete awkwardness, although the strange person decided to block that by breaking the silence immediately. “Looks about the same to me” he says as he chuckles softly, in which I reply without a moment of hesitation “We could be brothers for all we know.”

In such a random situation where all I wanted to do was smile, I was left with nothing other than tears; just as I had started to come to an understanding of what was happening and how beautiful the moment we were sharing was, this mystery man forced us closer with the most heartwarming hug I have ever received. “Something told me that you were different than all the others walking by, I just had to come and see for myself,” he whispers as he puts a beautiful bracelet into my hand and walks away.

As I stand there completely starstruck by what had happened, it became clear to me that the guy walking away from me was a man who seemed to be a struggling individual selling his hand-made bracelets to all the careless tourists walking around. Possibly so that he could make some money to put clean clothes on his back; or maybe to put food on the table so that he could satisfy those he loves. What he was doing that day was besides the point, as it is a question that we will never know the answer to. Some will read this and see it as nothing more than a random act of kindness from a stranger. Although despite all the differences from him and I, my interpretation of our shared moment comes down to one simple similarity between the two of us… being human.

This person had successfully put aside all thoughts of judgement when he saw me. All he saw was a single human, like himself, who was enjoying a moment of pure bliss. He could have walked away and continued making his money, but he knew as he looked at me that I was in the midst of enjoying a moment I would never be able to forget. What if that is exactly why he approached me in the first place? He knew what was happening because it happens to all of us! Instead of leaving me at peace with my thoughts, he found an opportunity to to teach me something during a moment that I would always remember. What he showed me was that even though history can be so beautiful at times, what truly matters is who we choose to be now.

We’re so caught up on learning from the past that it just continues to repeat itself, because these days it seems so uncommon to just put everything down and live in the moment. However, when you can successfully do exactly that, you’ll start to notice the ways YOU truly feel, as well as what YOUR true beliefs are. For me, that man showed me exactly what it is that I truly believe; that we are all human. Put gender aside, put color aside, physical appearance, wealth, occupation, religious beliefs… we are all just beings of this amazing planet, no matter where we started or what struggles we face. That’s exactly why it is important to face each confrontation in this life with pure acceptance. You never know what you could learn.

Thank you mystery man. Not only for showing me what I truly feel inside, but for giving me the confidence to walk through the rest of this life knowing that everyone I pass by will be a witness of the mark that I will make in this strange world.

Thank you for showing me what it means to be human. Thank you for showing me what it means to be a man.

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