I had just eaten my meal at a Mexican restaurant
and was on my way out the door
when a young waiter in ill fitting costume
accidentally spilled both of his big drinks
right into the lap of one of his customers.
The whole place halted for a second.
The gentleman stood up without a word
and angrily went straight to the restrooms.
The waiter was frozen to the floor, face pale like a sheet,
looking at the empty seat in front of him.

Once out on the street all I could think of
was the look on that waiters face.
The eyes. His notion that in this very second
his life had shifted and taken a turn
he could possibly not have foreseen.
Right now up to seven thousand people a day
lose their jobs in the US.
From one moment to the next
people are literally on the street.
On my way home I hoped he wasn't one of them.



The other day I was at another party
in the gallery I visited a few weeks ago.
It was the closing feast for the same exhibition.
We stayed 'til late and then a few of us ended up
in the artist's loft on lower Manhattan.
He showed me around the place.
In one of the rooms was a statue
of the sacred virgin Mary.
I personally don't invest any deeper reverence
into statues, depictions or artefacts.
So I watched it merely as a piece of art.
Then when everyone else had left the room
the artist turned to me and spoke something in his native toungue.
I stood dumbfounded for a moment.
"Sorry, but... I don't understand" I said.
But he just turned towards the statue, folded his hands
and instantly went into silent prayer.
Like on a sudden signal, without knowing why or how
I immediately did the same, as if in a split second
following someone's sudden leap from the edge off a cliff.
And from one moment to the next my world shifted.
From a casual, light hearted conversation
I was next thrown into a state of deep humility
and wordless communion with the mysterious force
that allows me to breathe, reflect and have my time on earth.

Minutes passed.
Then someone else entered the room.
We looked up and broke it off.



As I left at the first rays of dawn
all I could think was "Thank you
for bringing me Home."
And before going to bed
I sat for a few minutes
contemplating the evening,
then carefully wrote on my notepad
"Krister. Don't forget:
Spend some little time with God every day.
These are without a doubt
the most inportand and real moments
throughout your entire day.
No words. No specific prayer or agenda,
only pure gratitude.
Just turn inwards to the Source
and BE there for a while.
A few minutes is enough.
After all, this is a world of dreams.
You are living a great mirage.
On your journey through the universe
you'll either find or lose yourself.
Don't forget to chose"