I meet a stranger once who saved my life. I used to have a lot of people in my life, especially in the religious community. There were two kids who were always around when I was young. They were like older siblings and took care of me. We got to know each other over a period of six years. Then there was the coronavirus and we no longer got to talk. One of them was called Karl. There was also a lot going on in my family. I had noone to talk to and I was really sad.
One day I was driving with my mom and I saw a man holding a sign that said “Free Listening”. I told her to stop the car. I went up to him and I told him everything that had been going on with my relationships, with my family and even with my schooling.
While he sat there listening I felt so comfortable, even though I had no idea who he was. He nodded and made eye contact and I felt safe and seen. At the end he gave me some advice about everything that was going on. He told me that even though it was tough, he could tell I had stuff figured out. He said he knew I’d be ok.
I reconnected with Karl recently and was worried we wouldn’t be as close as we had been. But we’ve connected at a deeper level. He’s a poet and I’m a poet too so we’re able to connect through a different sort of language. We both lead from the heart.
I wrote a little poem about Kipp, the stranger.
Kipp was a man who held a sign
he asked for no money
he gave me his time
A random stranger listened to me
a nobody made me feel heard
when he listened to my words
I told him about my life
and he listened the whole time
that near 40 minutes changed my mind
There where people who could listen
to what I had inside
He gave me advice
and I showed him what I hide
the pain and sadness
that stabbed me from behind
Pieces of my young broken smile
where mended for a little while
Kipp was the man who held the sign.
Kipp is a stranger who saved my life .