"Thank you for being YOU"

Today was a slower day for me and I had a bit of down time.  I am very happy for this since I am getting the hang of it and getting more proficient.  Tonight I told one of the supervisors that I am ready to take on a bit more if they are ready to teach me.  I think that caught them by surprise since what I do is already a full time job.  But I am happy to pull my weight.

I am feeling much better too.  I think this cold is finally finding its way out of me.  Now I have a new problem.  I have been walking so much that I now have blisters on the balls of my feet.  I have never had a blister there before and it makes it difficult to walk.  Tomorrow I am wearing my flip flops in to the office to give my feet a rest.  You would think with all of this walking I would be losing weight.  NOPE!!!

Tonight when leaving the hotel office there was a very sickly stray cat out front looking for food.  My other two kitties are at the other office and this is the first time I have seen a cat at the hotel office.  Poor thing looks like he is on his last legs.  I feel sooooo terrible for these animals.  There was a man in a long robe standing outside watching me just look at the cat in pitty.  He kept smiling at me and it kind of startled me out but the streets were full of people so I knew he would be harmless whatever his intentions.  He then asked me if I was going to take the cat home.  I replied "no, but I wish I could".  I went back inside the hotel and went to the restaurant.  They gave me a napkin full of chicken and I took it outside for the cat.  The cat was already making its way down to the next building.  The man in the long robe ran after the cat and helped herd him back towards me.  The poor thing ate like he had not eaten in a week.  The whole time the man stood and just watched my interaction with the cat.  When I finally walked away to catch a taxi the man yelled after me and simply said "Thank you for being YOU! You have a kind heart!"

While I have never required any acceptance for my actions towards animals, it was nice to hear a complete stranger give thanks for just being me.  Others here look at me in disgust for even petting an animal - and here is the one compassionate soul on the street who cared for this cats well being as I did and acknowledged with a smile and a few words.  He could not have come at a better time.  It is amazing how such few words could have so much meaning to me and an impact that reminds me that I am doing the right thing and it is good.

Now I wonder about this elderly man in his robes.  Where he comes from, what religion he is.  It was obvious that he was not a native.  His robes were light blue and he did not wear a head dress.  He spoke good english and he was kindly spoken (not soft, but kind).  There are so many accents here that I am not sure exactly what nationality he is though I would presume it was India or close to India.

If I could go back I would have a conversation with him and find out about who he was.  This place has me scared to talk to anybody.  I think I need to start letting my guard down just a little bit.  Even yesterday a woman passing me by in the street dressed in their regular attire - head to toe black robes with black head scarf (though she did not have her face covered like some) - gave me a warm, wonderful big smile and nodded at me as if to say hello.  These little friendly gestures are making me a little more comfortable here.

It has been a wonderful two days.  I hope there are more to come.