ook me to a new experience in myself: gravity, the profane, the weight of being human, “the quality of mercy is not strained” – these phrases and words circled my mind like United flight #0386 from Denver circled Boston.Today I felt the mercy of a universal force that is unrelenting in Its acceptance of all of my parts, all of my decisions, all of my mistakes. I think to myself that the least, the very least I can do is offer others the same sweetness, the same kindness, the same consideration and reverence.
I retrieved my baggage and found my taxi. Over the next ½ hour we ooh’ed and awe’ed our way through the backstreets of Boston and the spectacular sunset that took our breath away in the west. We stopped when and where we wanted and took photos as we went, he on his cellphone and me on my tiny digital camera. At one point, this salty 40-something year-old 3rd generation Bostonian called up a buddy and asked him if he was looking at the sky. I got the sense that his buddy “Paulie”
thought he might be warped on psychedelics because he just couldn’t feel the love that “Mac” and I were falling into through the crowded streets and bridges of Bean Town.Nope, he’s not my life soulmate; he and I simply got to relish a moment of being human, being open, and finding in our respective selves the innate capacity to be moved.
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God's
When mercy seasons justice.
-Portia from William Shakespeare's “The Merchant of Venice”
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