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#thePassenger … Potential

#thePassenger … Potential

Last updated on: March 14, 2013 at 10:52 am by Umar Hakim

#thePassenger … Potential 2013-03-14T10:52:12-06:00 Umar Hakim

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#thePasseger Original Series from Create A Voice

I commute in and out many locations, passing by some of Los Angeles most famous sites and landmarks. Underneath the sunshine and palm trees, exist a world of situations. A place for reflection on life’s incidents, while staring out the metro’s looking glass. On these rides I witness many different types of people and their actions. On this journey, there is a woman attracting attention and a man being ignored.

“…a genuine meeting with potential and civic engagement.“

On this rainy night, the metro system was having difficulty and trains are running late. My train finally arrives, and everyone boards going home or where ever it may be. The Metro system at times, can be a place of social apprehension. Where hundreds of people are too weary for conversation or just into their own world, and/or simply just enjoying this time and space before their next destination.

In front of me, was a woman wearing headphones. It was her skillful hands that caught my attention. She was hand-making yarn with a small tool. She would pinch out shreds of colored hairs, then wrap it around a spool and begin spinning the shredded hairs together; her fingers precisely being used to hold tension – combining the shreds into threads of yarn.

I am thinking, what an awesome skill and the potential impact of having such a talent can make. With imagination and creativity, what she could create. We live in a place of unemployment, and the longer one is unemployed, society labels us as unreliable or not qualified for new employment. In fact, California Governor Jerry Brown recently vetoed a bill, that would stop employers from this type of discrimination.

What, in America the home of innovative thinkers! Where out of necessity prevailed opportunities that powers the world, from a people of self-empowerment and not holding traditional jobs, come’on Jerry!

Amazed with the simplicity of skills, consequently in our background there’s a elderly man in a wheelchair. The people around him seemed to be ignoring his wise strategies for civic engagement. He says, “It seems today, most politicians are not showing consideration for the people’s best interest. There exists a disconnect between the people and our state legislators, no relevant grass-root communication, only through policy groups and a few community organizers.”

His conversation consisted of simple but effective strategies and the responsibility of being in contact with your state representative. “Keep them informed of your concerns” he said, “Make sure they know your community’s circumstances.” His best listener was at the other end of the car, taking his advice.

As I am nearing my stop, these encounters were simple but a genuine meeting with potential and civic engagement. We have to approach life through a filter of empathy, to understand the most simplistic people who are sharing valuable insight. Diversity of thought, a place where many lessons come down through people of different backgrounds, ethnicity, and handicaps. Watch, Listen and Read to what is being streamed around you.

It is my stop and I enter the stormy California night, contemplating my next move for progress and a hot cup of peach tea, that is waiting on me.

#thePassenger™ an original blog-ver-sa-tion series by Create-A-Voice

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