Enlightened masculine, at your service…..

Enlightened masculine?  What does this mean?

Have you noticed lately that, if it’s another day, it’s another abuse story?

As necessary as it is that these stories are made public, that’s how challenging it can be for survivors to hold out hope that there are kind men in the world.

I’m honoring three enlightened men in today’s blog.  They are genuinely kind people.  If you’re wanting to believe that, with this much excrement, there must be a pony, here are three beautiful ponies.

I see each of these men as an example of the enlightened masculine.  The enlightened masculine is a phrase I’m using to describe men who have chosen to exemplify kindness instead of abuse.  Men who embody the enlightened masculine understand that there is another way, the way of the heart, and their beautiful hearts are examples of what is possible in the world.

My hope is that reading their stories help even the most damaged among us to believe once more in goodness:

Victor

Victor is a server at a local diner.  He serves hugs along with food.  He remembers his customers’ names, he turns customers into friends, he dances his way around the diner, and he clearly loves his work.

When he brought a carafe of orange juice to two quiet customers, he said, “Now this is a very special item.  Not only is it good for you, it is………a beautiful centerpiece! Ta Da!!!”  He carefully placed the carafe in the center of the table and asked if he could pour them both some juice.   It was a uniquely Victor moment.

I grinned as I asked him, “Victor?  A centerpiece?  Really?”  He answered, “I like to make the experience fun for all of us.”  And then he danced away.

Now that’s enlightenment.

I asked Victor what made him into the loving man he is today.  He responded, “High school was a difficult time in my life.  I looked different than the other kids, and I wasn’t treated well.  I promised myself that I’d never do to anyone else what was done to me.”

Now that’s enlightenment.

Andrew

Andrew is a server at a local breakfast place.  I saw him this week.  I think it had been a year since I’d last seen him.  He seated me at my usual table and asked if I wanted to order what I’d always ordered.  He’d remembered what I liked.  Now that’s enlightenment.

He told me he’d been thinking of me recently, that he’d found the little bag of hearts I’d given him a few years back and wondered how I was.  Like many people who know about the strokes I’d experienced, when he doesn’t see me for a while, he’d wondered if I was still here.  I reassured him that I am immortal, we smiled at each other, and we changed the subject.

I’d stopped in to congratulate him on his recent marriage and said I wasn’t leaving until I saw some wedding photos.  He and his wife are a beautiful and happy couple.

I asked Andrew why he is the way he is.  He said, “My parents fought a lot while I was growing up.  I realized when I was young that I didn’t have to be my parents, that my mother was bipolar and my father was angry.  I understood that I could choose to be happy.  Today is a rainy day.  Many people are depressed when it rains.  I love the rain.”

Andrew radiates a sweetness of spirit and a desire to help.  He’s one of those authentically delightful people.  I left his coffee shop feeling uplifted, and that feeling helped me stay uplifted at my next stop.  I did an impromptu spiritual counseling session with a woman in crisis.  She’d asked me for assistance at the grocery store, but she’d really wanted someone to be nice to her.  Andrew understands the importance of sending his customers off with the best possible energy, and he helped me help her.

Now that’s enlightenment.

Jack

I met Jack today.  He is a server at a breakfast place I’d visited once before.

Have you noticed how few people take the time to really listen?  I am a trained and experienced radio host.  I know how to project my voice, and I know people like to listen to my voice.  That doesn’t mean people make an effort to listen to what I am saying.  Not only did Jack listen when I placed my order, he repeated what I’d ordered to make sure he’d gotten it right.  Thank you for being conscious, Jack.  Consciousness is a necessary attribute of enlightenment.

My usual breakfast drink order is a cup of hot water with lemon and a glass of cold water.  Most servers serve me without commentary and then walk away.  Jack presented them to me as he said, “Here is a selection of our waters from around the world.”  I grinned at his light spirit.  It was a great antidote to the conversation about cardiac bypass surgery and the hopelessness of marriage the two men at the next table were having.

I watched him interacting with his other customers and took note of the respectful way he did his job.  He really cared.

I’d ordered poached eggs.  The eggs were rock hard.   I told him about the hard eggs and said it didn’t matter, that his energy had set me up for the day.  He appreciated my saying it and wished me a good day.  He then corrected himself, wishing me whatever day I chose to have.

I honored his conscious choice of greeting.  He was respecting my decision to have whatever kind of day I chose to have.  Consciousness is a necessary attribute of enlightenment.

I told him I was going home to blog about him.  He asked me for my website’s url and said he’d check it out.

Not only is he a lovely man, he’s a lot of fun.  Fun is another necessary attribute of enlightenment.

Next time I come in, Jack, can I have my hot water on the rocks?

I’m a Love of Life Catalyst.  If you’re having difficulty regaining your faith that there is much to be celebrated in the world, I invite you to visit https://www.TransformingThroughLove.com/contact and shoot me a message.  Let’s schedule a free, no obligation 30-minute chat.  I’ll help you focus on the good in life to stay in the magic of the present.

“Instead of saying, “I’m damaged, I’m broken, I have trust issues” say “I’m healing, I’m rediscovering myself, I’m starting over.”  Horacio Jones

Copyright 2017 by Sheryl Hirsch-Kramer.  All rights for any further use reserved.  For permission to repost or reuse the above only in its entirety, fill out this form:  http://www.transformingthroughlove.com/contact/  The information presented at www.TransformingThroughLove.com and during coaching sessions is of a general nature and is not intended to be use as legal, medical or professional advice.  None of the information on this website is intended as a substitute for the counsel of a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other trusted health professional.  Always contact your own health care provider to assist you with your medical or health issues.  The information presented here is entertainment, information that is only meant to support you while you are being cared for by your own health care provider during your life’s journey.  It is not intended to be used as stand alone legal, medical or professional advice.  We cannot and will not take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site as legal, medical, or professional advice. Always consult your physician or trusted health professional to design a treatment plan for your own or for another’s wellness.  All the information on this website is intended solely as loving support intended to accompany traditional medical care, not as stand-alone advice.  We appreciate your donations; please send a message via the contact form for donation instructions.If you like what you’re reading here, please forward this website to a friend:  http://www.transformingthroughlove.com.