Bathroom Preacher
A conversation started in the downstairs Concordia men’s room between myself and a neatly dressed man. We were washing out hands, and he commented on the weather. We had a few laughs, and then as I was about to leave, he leaned in, although he was about to tell me a secret:
“Everything you are learning here, you already know.”
Myself, having an interest in a similar position held by Plato, as well as the rationalist tradition in general, we this opportunity to inquire further. We took our conversation outside, where he began in earnest to speak his mind, while I listened attentively. He was speaking about movement, the topic of an essay (in regard to Aristotle’s metaphysics) that I am currently writing, so I thought that I ought to pay attention.
From my understanding he was speaking pantheist metaphysics, but well articulated, with warmth and generosity. I was curious if he was a Sufi (there is a small community in Montreal) but he didn’t appear to be, or mention that he was. I couldn’t stay much longer, so I wished him well and started my retreat. Before I left, he handed me a present. It was a nice printout, with the following text:
Look to observe and venture to engage.
Whenever you look, look for love and only enjoy your eye sight for what you see. To observe is to overcome your fears so that you cannot be afraid. How can you be afraid of what you thought you feared when you observe? To venture is to know and investigate the future before your engagement. For when you engage into anything the only reason should be to enjoy and love. For to love is war: the war to choose what is right, and the war to choose what is wrong. To be alright is to Look, Observe, Venture, Engage.
So yeah, better than the usual washroom rhetoric.
