Harold’s Story
Wisdom can come from unexpected places. When I was a college student I made a trip to Washington, DC, to visit American University. I took the train and arrived early at Union Station. I didn’t have much money and I didn’t know anyone in DC, so I could only spend the gap in time sitting on a bench inside the train station. An older gentleman who looked like he might be experiencing homelessness came over and sat next to me on the bench.
Moments passed and there was silence between the two of us before he decided to break it. I was enjoying talking with him, which was a surprise to me and a reminder to never judge a book by his cover.
He eventually asked me what brought me to Union Station that morning and more questions about school and what I wanted to do and pursue. I filled him in as best as I could. He was confident that I would do well if I stayed true to myself and kept my head up because I had a good disposition and seemed to be like a smart young man. He was kind. Then he asked if I wanted to hear a story. I had time and told him I would love to.
He said, “I’m going to tell you the story of a man and his son. The man sits down with his son and tells the kid to draw a picture of the world on one side and a picture of a man on the other side. After the son has done so, the father praises him for his great artwork. Then the father takes the paper and rips it into several different pieces. The son doesn’t understand why his father would tear his drawing into pieces.
“After the paper is torn up, the father puts all the pieces, probably 10 or 11 smaller pieces of paper, on the table. The father then says to the son, “I want you to put this back together again.” The boy, still confused, does so—or at least tries to do what his father has asked him to do. The boy starts trying to piece the paper together to its original state again so he could see the image he had made and so he could show his father that he’s capable.
“But time passes and the boy isn’t able to do it. Seeing the frustration growing in the son, the father says to the son, “The reason why you haven’t been able to put it back together again is because you are trying to do it on the wrong side.” The boy asks, what does he mean?
“The father then organizes all the pieces of paper so that they’re all now on the same side the young man drew a picture of the man rather than the picture of the world. Then he instructs the son to try to put it together again. The son is quickly able to put the picture of the man together. The father asks, “Do you know what the lesson is here my son?” The son looks up to his father and says, “No, I don’t know what the lesson is.”
“The father explains that the lesson is this: when you are trying to put the world back together again, it starts with putting man back together again. If we put man back together, and make him whole and complete, then from that, the world will then be whole and complete.”
Over 20 years later I think back on that Sunday and that story to help explain a lot of things to myself and sometimes to other people. A man who is healthy contributes to healthy and whole families, which then creates healthy and whole communities which then creates a healthy and whole world. If the thought of changing or making an impact on the world is too great, just focus on one single person. There will be a ripple effect. ▼
Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker