The Concrete Jungle

I took one of the guys from the park to physical therapy today. I took a note pad and thought while I wait I will write a letter to a friend. I began to write and when it was all said and done, this is what was on the page.

The Concrete Jungle

I awoke this morning to the sweet smell of fresh flowers and the beautiful songs of the birds. Were these songs just for me? As the sun crept over the mountain and the rays of sunshine hit my face, is that you God, smiling upon me? As I rolled up my bedding and packed it away in my pack, I emerged from my camp thinking today will be different. Today, as everyday I will enter the jungle, fighting to survive, searching for food, searching for a place to belong. I will walk the concrete jungle looking for hope.

As I started my search, the young man in the business suit caught my eye. He looks familiar I thought. He rushed by in such a hurry, not once noticing me there. He carries warm coffee in one hand and breakfast in another. My stomach growls with hunger. I thought back to songbirds. I didn’t have one crumb to share with them this morning, yet they shared their beautiful songs with me.

The sun beats down on my face and my feet begin to become weary from walking all day. I cannot stop for to long. I will be shoed away, told we can’t have your type just hanging around. Hey, there you are again. Still in a hurry I see, this time to meet with a friend for lunch. As you sit in the outdoor café, sharing lunch and laughing with your friend, you still don’t see me. Do you know that I would go without a morsel all day, if I could only share your company for a brief moment? I to will have my lunch today as well. I will go around back and wait for what you have not eaten; the only difference is I will be having mine alone.

The day is drawing to an end. My back aches from carrying my pack and my feet ache from walking all day. You emerge from your office, rushing to get home to your wonderful wife and kids. She probably has dinner waiting for you. I will walk down to the mission tonight and eat with all the other concrete explorers. We will discuss weather or not anyone found what we were searching for, hope.

I have returned to my camp, hidden deep in the bushes along the river, were no one could find me. As I spread out my bed and curl up for the night, I think of you in your warm comfortable bed. Did you see how beautiful the Lord painted the sky tonight, or were you to busy rushing around? I have put away part of bread from dinner. I will save it for the songbirds in the morning. Tomorrow I will awake once again, God willing and I will once again become a concrete explorer. I will continue on my search for hope and maybe tomorrow you will see me as the wonderful creation God made me. As I watch you in your busy day, I now know why you look so familiar to me. I am you, you see, I once had all that you have, the job, money and family, but one unforeseen circumstance has brought me here. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would extend my hand and show them and give them the hope they so desperately search for. I would not hide it, keeping it all to myself. Good night my friend, maybe tomorrow is the day I will find what I am searching for. If I had it, I would surely share it with you.