Simple courage

By Chris Trout | April 2, 2008

A friend recently emailed this link to a StoryCorps recording on NPR. I was simply blown away by the insight and courage of this young man, who engaged the mugger who stole his wallet at knifepoint, took him to dinner, and ended up with both his wallet back AND the man's knife. With utter simplicity and openness of spirit, he saw through the man's behavior to the hurting human being beneath. 

He wasn't challenging. He wasn't hip. He used no strategies or programs or perfect words. And he demanded nothing from the mugger. He simply spoke directly to the man underneath the behavior, offering something different. The mugger could have simply walked away with the money and his knife - and a different mugger on another night might have done just that. But that night, the authenticity of the man's words and intention changed the mugger's life. Even if he mugs again, it will never be the same. He knows it can be different.

This is our opportunity every day, with every young person, every colleague, every clerk, every stranger. If just a fraction of the time we remembered to look beyond the "noise" to the person inside, then found the courage to make authentic contact , we would change the world.

Listen. It will change yours.