I see him almost every day, and I still don’t know his name.
He stands in the parking lot outside my apartment, waving cars into empty spaces in the hopes of earning a Euro or two.
His hair is gray, face weathered. His clothes are worn. Last week he had a fresh haircut, and I found myself wondering…
Was it a gift? Or does he pay for it himself?
The first time we spoke, I was waiting for a friend to pick me up for the dance studio. It was a chilly January evening.
“Fala português?” he asked.
I shook my head, not wanting to test my meager Portugese with the strange, possibly homeless man, in the parking lot.
“Français?”
I shook my head again.
“Espanha? Italiano?”
My friend arrived and rolled her eyes at him as I climbed in the car. She figured she was rescuing me from an unwelcome conversation.
But she wasn’t. Not really.
I remember the first time I saw him. I mean, really saw him.
I had just finished a weekend Awakeners event with Michael Neill. My partner and I went to our favorite cafe with a view of the beach, and I was feeling particularly awake.
Instead of avoiding the eyes of passers by, I met them.
And the guy from the parking lot walked between the tables, asking for money.
“Um euro?” he asked me.
I didn’t have any cash and said, “Nada dinherio.”
In that moment, I saw something different.
He was my neighbor. A tough, street smart man who shows up every day to do what he knows to do to get by.
And I could make a difference just by seeing him. Just for a moment.
Since then, we greet each other most days with Ola’. A nod and a smile.
Once he commented on all the rain we’ve been having. Apparently, his English is much better than my Portuguese.
He’s one of the people on my list to give a DragonHeart Quest creation. I’ve been adding a bit of Portuguese to them. It’s my way of practicing and preparing to share them with my native neighbors.
I wonder what he’ll think. Whether he’d rather have a few notas instead of a smile and a sketch.
I suppose I’ll have to give it to him and find out.
Which reminds me to remind you…
The DragonHeart Quest is still going strong.
Right now I’m looking for 10 community leaders to host a DragonPod for a small group of friends or neighbors to take the Quest together.
Gather a small group online or in person.
Take 10 minutes to create something small and simple. Then give it to someone who won’t be expecting it. Maybe someone you see every day, like my parking lot neighbor.
All you have to do is make the invitation. Light the spark. Give people an excuse to create and invite them to share.
If that sounds like fun, you can check out the host kit here and let me know if you have any questions.
Or simply take the DragonHeart Quest yourself and spark one unexpected moment of joy today.
https://www.dragonheartquest.com
Yours in love and play,
Steph 🐲❤️🔥
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