Being Lost and Reminded that "Any Dream will Do"

"Go, Go, Go Joseph!" all the kids were saying as we were coming out of the theatre. This week, I had the wonderful opportunity along with Owen and Fr. Malcolm to take 60 youth and their parents to a West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was absolutely fantastic and an event that the kids won't forget for a long time. Father Malcolm came up with the idea to do this last autumn and had been working hard on the fundraising to pull it off. To my amazment, he was able to get all 60 tickets and give them to the kids and their parents for free. All he asked for in return was for them to give a donation of what they could to the event.

Even transportation was worked out as Father Malcolm has a good friend who owns a very old and worn, but trusty double-decker bus. It turned out to be the perfect vehicle indeed! Thus, we joined all of the other "trendy" West End Musical goers and (at least I thought) pulled off the image well. The only difference was that instead of pulling up in a BMW or City Coach- 60 of us pulled up infront of the theatre in a big, smokey, purple coloured double decker bus. The kids loved the attention from all of the other concert-goers.

The musical Joseph was written in the late 1960's by Andrew Lloyd Weber and continues to be loved by the British theatre community. Ofcourse, in line with the "hippy" era that it was written in, the musical contains all of the flash and glammour that you would expect (my favorite was how Pharoh in the musical was played like Elvis!) The UK has been taken by the American Idol craze and has spun off a number of similar shows- one of which last year was searching for a new "Joseph" lead in the musical. The country voted and with a huge majority favored Lee Meed as the new Jospeh. This great performer became Britian's new overnight celebrity and is still putting on incredible performances every night. He sings the part with incredible energy and emotion. This energy ignited our group and the kids were singing musical songs all the way back home. What a tremendous event to be a part of!

After the Joseph event and another long and extensive week, I decided to take a free day and go to the beautiful village of St. Albans (about 30 miles outside of London). It was so nice as the town contrasts London so greatly with the more peace and quiet. In my hurried preperation to go, I didn't really put in any details of the village in my bag so I didn't really have any idea where anything was. I decided that this was ok and just wandered around for a bit. I finally (after walking the wrong direction) found the highstreet and central square of the town. Then, walking further, I came upon the medival Cathedral. I sat in the Cathderal for a while and then went walking around again before deciding to come back to the Cathedral. A wedding was just ending in the chapel, so I quietly stood around and admired the windows.

Upon my viewing of the various things in the Cathedral, I had a surprising tap on my shoulder and a rather tatty looking elderly man smiling at me. "I've seen you twice now walking up and down the Highstreet and around the Cathedral", he said. "Now this is the third time I have seen you and with due respect sir, you look lost." Being surprised at this comment, I chuckled a little bit and said that I was just here from London and making it a day out. We talked for a little while about the wedding that was just ending as he knew the groom involved. "Would you like to walk up to the pub with me to get a drink- or don't you drink?", the man asked. Not being really sure (because of the man's outward apperance) if I would be the one paying for the drinks I hesitated for a split second. However, somthing about the man really struck me as being very genuine and real so I took him up on his offer.

He was infact true to his word and bought me a pint of Guiness. As we sat down he said, "Now back at the Cathedral, I only meant partly that you look lost geographically.....I'm just going to be honest with you sir, you also look weighed down by somthing." Again, I was surprised at his very honest and upfront nature and replied that I did indeed feel weighed down by things. I suddenly realized that this day was probably the first day in a many weeks that I could actually allow myself to feel lost in a way. The stresses of work in London and my future obligations in life continue to put a lot of weight upon my shoulders, but don't allow much opportunity to outwardly show the stresses. "You can't let yourself be sucked in by things all the time.", the man said. "I'll be honest with you, I've been in that place too." He went on to explain how his job in aerospace engineering consumed both himself and his marriage. "I'll just be honest with you, you need to let yourself have times to express your insecurities but then also have people there for you who can walk with you in those insecurities. I've hadn't had that a lot in my life.", he finally said.

I was greatly inspired by what he had to say and his really honest spirit. We both sat and shared a lot about ourselves and what makes us feel "lost". After about a two hour discussion in the pub, it was time to go. "I'll be honest with you, you're a fantastic kid with lots of spirit and I respect you a lot.", he said as he shook my hand. As I was walking out of the pub, I turned around quickly forgetting to ask his name! "My name is Eric!", I said. "What's your's?" "Michael", he replied as he toasted his beer glass to me.

What I finally realized as I was walking back to the train station was the whole beauty of presence. Here was a man who thoughtfully acknowledged my being "lost" and who gracefully wanted to help. In many ways, Michael too was "lost" and gratefully thanked me for being there to help as well. BOTH of us needed each other in a way. We all get "lost" in our lives sometimes and burdened down with the stresses and responsibilities. In that struggle, there can sometimes be no more powerful thing than the presence and attention of another human being. Michael didn't give me any quick answers to solve any of the stresses or fears that I have, nor did I really give him any either. But what did lift both of us in the pub that day was the fact that there are human beings in this world that can give respect and share in struggles and stresses. Michael reminded me of that in a very real way. May we all have the courage to do to the same.