Improv.ious-vs-Impervious. Here's a Peach.

As I stood talking with Giles, a Franciscan Friar, at this month's L'Arche Community night gathering, Jean, my friend and a woman who lives in one of the L'Arche Chicago homes, walked up to us and handed me a peach. She then looked at me with hopeful expectation. So I looked back at her with a tickled curiosity. Life is a series of problems to be solved, but how was I to tackle the task of transforming this peach into a more edible form for my friend in a dense crowd of people and without any practical utensils?

I think we often feel this way, ill equipped to handle the many situations encountered in the course of a day. So often it feels easier to shut ourselves off from others' needs, and to become impervious to the end of our own comfort, safety, and security.

Over the past two years of living in Chicago, and studying Improv, I have been confronted with two contrasting realities. One being the quest of becoming open to the acceptance of my ideas and those of others, reacting in the moment and riding the roller coaster of that moment with the other person in front of me. A roller coaster full of surprising twists and turns. Allowing myself to be affected in those moments. Perhaps even changed.

The converse of this is being closed, which I face within myself and observe in others in regard to the needs of people in this city. Often people are willing and generous to help someone in great need, which I love about this city; that people don't just walk by someone who needs immediate help. And yet, there are many people living with all different levels of poverty; emotional, physical, mental, spiritual. These varying issues may interrupt the day of a passerby. I too, am certainly guilty of not wanting to be interrupted as well. Sometimes, though I want to give, I feel I lack the resources, and therefore, don't act. My hope is to carry the philosophy of Improv throughout my day. One of openness, rather than being impervious to the other person in front of me, impenetrable in my emotions, mind, and heart. 

Possessing a peach, and a confused look on my face, I stood looking at Jean, then back at Giles. Then our friend, Elbert walked by who had just finished cutting figs, with a knife in hand, and noticing me with the peach, handed me the knife. Then Giles put his hand out as a surface to cut the peach on, fearlessly. I wasn't too confident in my fruit slicing abilities at that moment, so waited it out. Just then, Catie, another friend, saw our quandary and reached in the china cabinet and handed us a small plate. So, Giles then put his hand out again, and I placed the little plate in is hand and began slicing the fruit. What spontaneous joy filled our hearts at the success of this unraveling predicament.

It took the Community of people there to solve this puzzle, to meet Jean's immediate need. This situation was a reminder to me that only together, can we help one another. Not one of us can really do it alone. We each have different gifts, sensitivities, and abilities in a situation, that together comprise the pieces to the whole puzzle, allowing full communion of the Body or Community.

Jean was grateful to enjoy her peach.

And we all enjoyed the fruits of the Spirit; faithfulness, peace, and joy!