Last Leg of My Journey - Jerusalem

Thursday has finally arrived!  I finished re-packing my bags, made a quick trip to TJ Max for an extra pair of comfy walking shoes, and kept my appointment with Marcos for a much needed haircut.  I was sad to learn that this was my last haircut with him, as he's moving back to Panama to care for his elderly mother.  Fortunately Harry his partner will be back in September, and Marcos gave him instructions on how to cut my hair, so at least I have somewhere to go this fall!

Anyway, my journey to Jerusalem began with a cab ride to JFK with a delightful cabbie - we got off to a rocky start at the gas station where he an another cab pinned a pedestrian between their two cabs - yikes!  Fortunately no one was seriously hurt.  We talked a little about the incident, and then moved on to other topics.  Once he learned who I was and where I was going, he had all kinds of questions to "test" me, as he says.  I thought it was interesting when he mentioned that in his line of work he rarely looks at people, and mostly pays attention to voices.  He said he could hear something different in my voice that said I was open to questions on matters of faith.  We talked about heaven and hell and judgment, why we are believers, death and dying, his love and concern for his grandkids, and so on (it was rush hour in NYC - we had lots of time!)

What a great way to start this trip.  Aren't we all pilgrims, bumping into each other along the way, sharing a few questions or a few thoughts, exchanging smiles and handshakes, and then going on our separate ways?  But then how separate are they when we often seek to discover the things we have in common when meeting new people?  I really wish I were better at remembering names, because I've already forgotten my cab driver's name.  But we shook hands and smiled at each other, changed a bit by our hour long experience together on a random Thursday afternoon rush hour...