Today is the first ‘guest post’ here at A Year of Making a Difference. I am delighted to share Dave Cunnin’s story Holding Out Our Hearts as the inaugral posting in what I intend to make a regular Sunday experience here.
I first met Dave working at the homeless shelter where I worked for almost 6 years until the end of last year. At the time, Dave was the Senior Building Supervisor, over-seeing the comings and goings, to’ings and fro’ings of 1200 clients a night and a staff of 125. It was a busy place and a busy job.
Dave left the shelter in 2008, became a life coach and facilitator and it wasn’t until two years later that we met up again through the meditation group I attend on Wednesday nights.
Dave’s story is powerful. Moving. And true. Dave is powerful. A human being of light and truth. A seeker on this journey of life. Dave makes a difference in my world everyday. I’m grateful he’s here to make a difference in your’s today.
*****************************
Holding Out Our Hearts
Fourteen years ago a brief encounter with a stranger not only changed my life, it (she) gave me the will to begin embracing my life and live my life. What did she do? She smiled at me.
At the time I had given up on myself and given up on life. I was living on the streets and focusing on obtaining my next meal. I buried myself in the core’s underworld hoping not to be seen, not to be heard and not to be judged. I was lost and I felt totally beyond hope.
For years I had waged a horrific battle against myself in trying to cover up or destroy all I felt was wrong with me. I had driven myself to the end of the line hoping and praying I would be removed from this world and removed from myself. One solace found was the dirt, grime and ugliness I had always felt within me began showing up around me. I felt confused, I felt scared, and I felt broken. I no longer had the fancy jobs, fancy clothes, fancy cars, and fancy people to hide my brokenness from myself and this world. I no longer felt I was projecting a lie about who and what I was.
One day I walked into a soup kitchen and requested a bowl of soup. “Have two” replied the volunteer,”it is very cold outside”. It wasn’t the kindness of her offer nor the warmth of her voice. It was the sincerity in her eyes. I felt as if she saw through the disheveledness, the fear, the anger, the neediness, the emptiness, and the failure of my humanity. I felt she was seeing me. The smile I received lit a spark in my heart that remains, grows, and flourishes to this day. The sincerity of her smile told me that there was something worthwhile about me and within me that deserved a smile. The sincerity of her presence told me there was something about me and within me that deserved love. From that day forward I began to ease up on the war against what I felt was bad and evil within me and began to explore and cultivate what is good and loving about me.
That smile, that moment continues to live and thrive within me today. As I write this, I am vividly taken back to that moment and I feel surges of emotion and gratitude welling up within me. Cultivating the sincerity of my own smile is a driving force in my life and I have come to realize it is not my actions but the sincerity behind my actions that make a difference in this world.
When I hold out my hand to help I am saying I see there is something wrong. When I hold out my heart to embrace I am saying I see there is something right.
Dave Cunnin
Dare Boldly 
thanks for sharing this, dave.
LikeLike
A lovely post to kick-off your guest series! The feeling behind these words is authentic because they are lived.
LikeLike
That last paragraph … wow!
LikeLike
Excellent post Dave, I really liked this story, especially your summation. When we look at people with pity in our eyes and voices we are reinforcing their belief that something is wrong with them. When we take the time and make the effort to truly connect with that person’s heart, through a smile, a kind word, or a gentle touch, we are acknowledging our shared humanity and as you note, affirming that there is something good inside. I know that because of your experience, the smiles and encouragement you pass on to others has made a difference in many lives, thank you for the reminder to be the difference!
LikeLike