A Small Miracle on the Hudson

By Janice Crawford

Recently after decades of meditation and spiritual study, a window briefly opened into a glimpse of a more fundamental yet utterly indescribable reality. And days later, it dissolved into this state of, let us call it “an openness beyond the self we think we know.”

I was sitting in my walker on Christopher Street Pier. I soon noticed a woman who was transexual standing against a railing about ten feet to my left. She was also just silently gazing at the water and the people passing by. My first impression was that she appeared to be living a very rough, perhaps even desperate, street life.

After having some trouble with my aged hands, I asked her if she would mind helping me with my water bottle lid. She kindly opened the bottle for me and we returned to our contemplations. As she was leaving about 30 minutes later, she rather shyly said, “Can I ask you a question?” I answered, “Of course.” She then asked, “What are you thinking about?” And I replied, “Everything I see has exactly the same value, beauty and importance.” Half dancing away with an almost childlike joy, she almost sang, “Oh, I’m so glad I asked you!” Still gently, she asked me my name, and I told her my name was Jan. And with great pleasure she said, “My name is Karol … with a K.”