Somewhere Between Humbled and Humiliated

A person is known by the company he keeps – at least that’s how the old saw goes. I’m not sure how well that applies here.

You see, there was a story to be told. One that affected me deeply. It was the story about Douglas, the homeless man that I had met on Third Avenue, curled up and drunk in a CVS doorway at 8 a.m. In a few brief moments together his story of loss, despair, and desperation touched my soul. He spoke to me of “turning into dust.” Within hours, he was gone. I never saw him again.

I needed to tell his story. Not for him. For me. I needed to remember his face, his voice, his words. And, yes, the dust.

I contacted her out of the blue and, bless her heart, Elizabeth Scalia said yes to Douglas.*

Several conversations and writings later here I am, on these pages, with this blog. I am so very grateful for this opportunity.

But now reality begins to set in. I hadn’t focused before on the credentials of the bloggers already here. Neither did I know anything about the other “newbies” that I’d be starting with this week – newbies only in the sense of being here at Patheos, not new to blogging like me. There are the numerous books written, the excellent blogs published, the multiple awards won, the dissertations defended, the classes taught, the depth of knowledge held.

I am sincerely and deeply impressed. And not a little intimidated. While writing has been a passion, a hobby, and a challenge, it’s never before been a public experience for me – at least not outside of a courtroom.

So I’ve searched for a word to best describe how I feel now that I’m here. I haven’t yet found it. But I have narrowed it down: I think that it falls somewhere between “humbled” and “humiliated” in the dictionary. I’ll let you know when I find it.

Until then, make yourself at home, feel free to kick the tires (to mix my metaphors), look around, settle in, and stick around as long as you’d like. And let me know what you think.

Peace.

* Douglas is here.

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