A Sobering Reality

We were returning to our hotel tonight, riding the metro "home" after a long day of walking in Washington D.C. A couple of stops into our ride, a man of about age 50 stumbles onto the train and plops himself into a seat diagonal from us. It is immediately obvious that he is drunk as he cannot focus his eyes, nor can he keep his balance even while sitting. If that is not enough, he also lets out many silent burps as if almost hiccupping.

I don't often find myself in the company of people who are drunk, therefore I am uncomfortable around anyone who is so. (I'm rather proud of that fact also; I hope it is never a comfortable situation to me.) Tonight though my reaction even caught myself off guard. Tears formed in my eyes and started rolling down my cheeks almost immediately after assessing his state. It was a sorrow I felt deep inside that is hard to describe with words. I couldn’t make the tears stop. Scott noticed and put his arm around me. I’m sure others noticed to, but I didn’t care. I wondered why he felt he needed to drink to the point of intoxication. Perhaps he is a recreational drinker who gets drunk on occasion; perhaps he gets drunk all the time. This I do not know, but something in me, whether or not it was my own bias, told me there is more to his story. I think my tears were a response to some pain he might have been feeling.

It was kind of weird, crying for someone else I didn’t even know. Maybe that’s the woman in me, or at least the compassionate spirit I have tried to kindle inside.

It is my prayer that this man finds that for which he is searching. Perhaps a woman to have as a lifetime partner and companion, the easiness of pain he might be feeling, blessings which will make him happy and give him more self-worth, and/or most importantly a personal relationship with God to fill his emptiness. Please take a moment to say a prayer for this man who I saw on the blue line tonight.