He's been off his meds for a few weeks now. I first noticed just before the soup kitchen opened last Sunday morning.

"Is it open now? Is it open now? Is it open now? Is it open now?" He yelled from across the street.

This Sunday morning I wandered my neighbourhood a couple hours before the soup kitchen opened. It's been so long since I spent time walking these blocks. First it was winter that had me tucked in tight. Next it was working too many hours. But now there is no reason, and I want to reacquaint myself with the place that I live.

These days it feels more natural to explore with a camera in hand, and considering the early hour I simply walked the block, snapped some shots, and exchanged smiles and hellos to some fellow early risers I passed along the way. Until I rounded a corner and headed east again. Until I headed east toward the soup kitchen. He was already out, two hours before the doors open for breakfast, pacing the sidewalk. And he was quick to spot me.

"Taking f**king pictures for the f**king paper. Taking f**king pictures for the f**king paper. Taking f**king pictures for the f**king paper. Taking f**king pictures for the f**king paper." He yelled it down the street, his pacing getting faster.

There is no reasoning when there are are no meds. He wouldn't have heard me explain that I don't work for a newspaper. But I certainly didn't want my whole neighbourhood wakened at that hour to screaming. So I turned north and walked the last block home. Two hour later when he saw me flipping pancakes at the soup kitchen, wearing the same clothes he had seen me wearing earlier, there was no recognition at all. I'm not sure how that makes me feel.

*****

I'm curious about your neighbourhood. If you take the time to explore this week, perhaps you'd take a little time to write about it. Who do you meet when you walk? What do you hear? What makes your heart soar? What makes your heart break?

The Mustard Seed Associates have posted an exercise this week of mapping the divine in your neighbourhood; taking a map and marking the places where God has shown up for you, in case you want to record the story graphically.






The List:
1. Write to my sponsor child.
2. Eat what's already in the cupboards.
3. Explore my neighbourhood.