Omar in Chicago

This past weekend I was in Chicago with my daughter and her volleyball team at a tournament.

I had been in the city before but I was very small, not even sure how old I was, I just remember getting off the train with my dad and seeing all the tracks, the steam around the depot and being in this large concrete building with a marble floor.

Even though I was too small to remember anything else, what I do recall is how much I loved this big city.

I really don't remember anything else about that trip or even why we were there.  Who knows, maybe it was just my imagination.

However, we did take the train often because my dad worked for the railroad. So anytime we went on a trip, we got to use the train. It is one of my favorite memories as a child. Probably because those trips brought us together as a family. I remember my mom always making fried chicken and packing it in this blue flowered vinyl bag for us to eat while on the train. No cooler or anything. It was just in this bag. Oddly enough, we never got sick.

I also remember walking on the train and how you had to hold onto the seats as you went down the aisle from the train wobbling back and forth. I suspect, the rides might be smoother now.

I bring up the train because I got off on a tangent. Reminiscing. Love those memories. I don't remember anything about sightseeing anywhere we went. It was always about the experience and being with my family.

Now anytime I go on trips, I do enjoy seeing the sights. But not so much the major sights. I like everything else. The neighborhoods, the different stores, streets, people ....

While in Chicago, we stayed at a more upscale hotel since it was attached to the event center where my daughter would be playing volleyball. It was ideal and we got a decent deal since there were so many people staying there.

When we got there we had to park our car first in the garage then go to the lobby to check in and get a hotel attendant to bring a luggage cart to our car.

I was fine with this. There was too much stuff to unload while navigating a new hotel, so tipping the young man was something I knew would be worth it for my daughter and I.

As the young man, Omar was his name, followed us to our car, I immediately felt his genuineness and manners. He told us to take the elevator on our own so to not crowd us with the cart and he'd follow on next one.

He helped us get everything out of the car and as he did, we began to talk about his upbringing. (I know. Yes, I can get a conversation going pretty quick) The subject came up as he pointed out how thin he always had been since he could remember and how he didn't mind pushing the cart around as he used it as a chance to push some weight and get some exercise.

His mom was from Nicaragua and his dad from Palestine.

After we got our stuff unloaded in my room I went to hand him ten dollars for the help.  He refused. I insisted. He refused more. He told me it was his privilege to help people and he likes doing it since it gets him moving from one area to another.

He called himself a starving artist (to which I told him even more so he needed the 10) - he does artwork and makes music.

It was one of the most incredible encounters I had meeting someone in another town.

After that day, I saw him again in the gym as he was the attendant there. Then another time in the lobby.

During our conversation in the gym, I told him I owned a coffee shop. He told me that was one of his dreams to go back to his hometown (I honestly cannot remember his hometown) and open a coffee shop. He said he wanted it to be a place for people to gather and where he could talk and meet many.

I mentioned how our shop was community oriented and one of my favorite parts was meeting people.  And he told me he could see how that was true of me. We talked about how meeting people in coffee shops is one of the best things.  Based on how each time I’d see him he would say ‘Hey! How are you?’ Or how is the team doing?’  He simply was someone you just wanted to talk to and I imagined Omar would be the kind of owner who would make people feel welcomed and happy the moment they stepped into his coffee shop.

After the third time meeting him, I got to thinking how I really wanted to write about this.  I wanted to write about it because he and I were so different. Him - young and still figuring out what he wanted to do in life, coming from another country and believing in another religion.  Me - all the opposite; well except for what I want to do in life. I think the curiosity remains and I think we all should remain curious and pursuing all we can.

We did approach the subject of our belief system and how he would have general conversations with others and they would soon turn away because of his belief. I shared with him that our coffee shop is a Christian shop but we do not push it on anyone. I believe we can demonstrate much of our Christianity in the way we act and treat others.  However, it is nice to just talk about Jesus without being reprimanded.  I got this when I worked in a particular office setting and I met many people who were in crisis.  We were not allowed to talk about God there, which I found strange since it might have been the thing they needed the most. But if someone approached me, I was happy to share what I knew.

I want to know about what others believe in and how they grew up.  I think there is always something to know about people we meet and what we can learn from.  I think this is what makes meeting people in other parts of our country so interesting.

As a Christian we are told to bring others closer to Christ.  There is a fine line to doing this.  If we come on too strong we have turned them away from Christianity for who knows how long if not forever.  But, I think, if we continue to be ourselves and be who Christ wants us to be, then perhaps others will see this and want what we have. Especially when it comes to trials.  I think going through trials shows alot about a person and how they handle it. And truly one of the best ways to demonstrate our faith in Christ.

But if our encounter with someone is only one time then why would we want to turn the conversation into a controversial one?  I want to leave that person knowing that I respect who they are and where they come from and their beliefs. Omar and I discussed this and we wished others could talk as easily as we could and imagine how much better our world would be.  I want him to be who he wants to be and remember this little older Mexican woman as someone who brought her daughter to Chicago and befriended him in the 3 days I was there.  To me, that is making a difference in the world.

I shared the name of my blog with him. He might see it.  If he does, I want him to know he did make a difference in my life and my stay in Chicago.

We may not have been able to go on a boat tour or to the observation deck or see anything else that Chicago is known for … but we got to meet someone whom made me feel like I traveled another part of our world.  And that is something I will remember for a very long time.  Thank you Omar.

(Incidentally, I did ask him if I could take the picture and use it and write about this.)