#5 New Orleans, LA

"People and events come into our lives for specific reasons. And if we pay attention we can learn extraordinary things" -Susan Richards

I need to be very transparent with this post. I am having an extremely hard time processing this past weekend. While there are so many components from the weekend that opened my eyes to so much, I am going to tell you about just 1. 1 that altered my life forever. 

As I climbed into the front seat of our Uber ride on Friday night I began small talk with our Uber driver. His name was Husain, a 23-year-old from Iraq. Now, I know what you are thinking... he's probably a terrorist, why is he even in America? Because that is where our mind automatically goes when we hear the word Iraq.

Since I knew it was a solid 30-minute drive home I began to ask him questions. I can't say I regret asking, but I wish he would have prepared me better. His first statement, well I turned 23 in August... you can guess my reaction. "oh my goodness! what day!?" of course.. because I serve a humorous God. August 25th, 1992. this was not a coincidence. 

As we continued chatting about different struggles we faced being 23, I asked him a common question I ask all my Uber drivers. "so what's your story.. how did you get here? when did you get here? how do you like America?"

Husain's story caught me off guard. He came to America 10 years ago. During the war, his town was in the middle of a war zone. He was captured by American troops and taken to a refugee camp where he spent 4 years. His family is still in Iraq, he works full time to help pay his way through school...he was 13 when he left his family...

(I cried my eyes out in that Uber ride for the record) 

As we began to talk more I told him over and over again how proud I was of him. I could see the tears start to well up in his eyes the more we discussed. I had assumed he was tearing up because this was a part of his life he doesn't enjoy discussing. But when I asked him why he was crying, he said "I have been driving Uber for 2 years. And you are the very first person to ask me about my story."

Those words resonated with me. I cried the next 2 days intermittently when I thought about Husain and his story. I wondered how many times I have missed out on moments like that.

It would have been easier for me to turn on some music, plug into my phone, and wait patiently until we arrived at our destination. It would have been easier not to ask. It would have been easier to not break down and cry in an Uber with a stranger. All of those things would have been easier. But by taking the easier route, I would have never gotten to experience that level of compassion for someone else. Husain may have gone the rest of his life without anyone asking him, what's your story?

I don't know what your life looks like. But here is what I do know, one day at a time we are losing friends and gaining followers. We are missing the big picture because it is more comfortable to be well known than it is to be intrigued. We are quick to ask for a like but scared to ask for details.

By being engaged in the present we are enjoying the only thing to us that is guaranteed. That moment.

And what a beautiful moment that can be when we take the chance to enjoy the presence of others

Next Stop... TBD.