The Experience Series
“The following are real encounters that I have experienced over the years, presented in visual and written form.” -Ebony London
The Blind Leading the Blind
"Why wouldn't they help her?" I thought as I saw a group of people ignore that she was about to walk into a parked car. The light had finally turned. I hurried to her. I was approximately 20 feet away when her stick hit the vehicle. She immediately stopped.
“Are you ok?” I yelled loudly, still hurrying to her. Her head quickly turned in my direction.
“No, I’m not ok. Are you even talking to me?”
I gently grabbed her wrist and led her around the parked car and onto the sidewalk.
“Thank you. Where am I?”
I searched for the closest street sign and said, "You are on 19th and K St."
I took a moment to look at her as she seemed to be calculating her location. She was young, late 20's, early 30's. She was blind, and I could tell she had no idea how beautiful she had been prior to her drug use. I saw the beauty potential in her facial features; full lips, high cheekbones, and unruly hair.
“Where are you headed?” I asked, still holding her wrist.
“I wanted to get to Safeway to buy me some refreshments.”
I calculated that she was a few blocks from Safeway.
“I’ll lead you across the street, and you will need to walk just a few blocks down.”
She allowed me to lead her.
“How are you otherwise?” I asked.
She began telling me how the people in her life that she has known and depended on for years are no longer talking to her and that she feels alone. She told me she is homeless by choice because her family disapproves of her lifestyle.
As we walked, I listened to her heartbreaking description of her current life but I noticed my heart was not breaking for her. I didn't have the urge to take her home, clean her up, feed her, and allow her to rest. I didn't have the urge to be her eyes. I didn't have the urge to stop the progression in my life to protect her from the world's dangers that she could never see coming. All I wanted to do was get her going in the right direction.
When we got to the corner, I positioned her towards Safeway and said, “You are now on Capitol and 19th St. I hope things get better for you.”
She smiled, and I turned around and continued my walk. As I walked, I imagined her mother, and the heartbreak and helplessness she faced when her beautiful, blind daughter left the comfort and security of her bosom and home. I imagined the worry, stress, and anxiety she has every time her phone rings at night.
I asked myself, “Why didn’t I try to help her?”
I answered, “Because she didn’t want help. All she wanted was a little direction.”
Sometimes we want more for others than they seemingly want for themselves. When we try to force our desires for their life onto them, we become exhausted and take their rejection of our desire for them personally. It was the blind woman's mother, with whom I've never met, that taught me a lesson; Let go.
Original Artwork by Ebony London
Artwork: 16 in w x 20 in l
Frame: 19 in w x 23 in l
Too Loud
I snapped! I grabbed my toddler and placed her on my hip! I opened my door, walked down the steps, and without hesitation, knocked on her door. I knocked hard! This was the last time her broom handle would ever touch her ceiling, alerting me that my child and I were being too loud.
She opened the door, slowly. I was furious. However, the more the open door revealed her, my anger decreased. In front of me stood an 8-month pregnant woman. Her hair was a mess! Her eyes were dark with heavy bags. She was the physical definition of exhaustion. I stared at her until she was brave enough to make eye contact with me.
“In about two months you will have a baby and because of experience, I know that baby will keep you and this entire building awake most nights. Do you want to know what I’m going to do when I’m in a deep sleep and suddenly, I am startled awake by the sounds of your baby crying?”
She continued to look at me silently. “I’m going to say a prayer for you! I’m going to ask God to give you patience and rest.” She began to cry.
“Life is loud and when you have children, life is even louder. Have patience and empathy with me because I’m going to have it with you.”
I looked at her, took a deep breath, gave her a slight smile, adjusted my toddler on my hip, and walked up the stairs.
Original Artwork by Ebony London
Artwork: 16 in w x 20 in l
Frame: 19 in w x 23 in l
Cheaper Over There
“You can get four pairs of earrings over there, for the price of one of hers.”
I overheard her say to her creative friend. She did not know I had just spent the last five minutes talking to her creative friend about my thought process as I created my Ear Art. I didn’t mind her saying what she had said because she was stating facts. My Ear Art was about 4 times the price of the women’s earrings a few tables down. What I did mind was that she was discouraging a patron from investing in my Ear Art because she didn’t see the value in them.
She repeated herself while her friend continued browsing my Ear Art. I decided to understand her.
“I normally don’t do this but I’ve heard you mention a few times that my Ear Art is expensive. May I ask why you feel this way?” She was shocked and her creative friend, without taking her eyes off my Ear Art, smiled at me. I continued. “I’m not going to lower my price but I am curious to know your thoughts.”
I picked up a random pair and explained how I designed and hand-painted each side including the bead that dangled above the wooden canvas. I continued to share how the metals I use are top-notch. I explained how I constructed each pair to dangle freely, allowing both painted sides the same amount of exposure. I explained how each pair is protected with an acrylic coating to ensure lifetime durability.
She continued to look at me, her friend continued to browse my Ear Art while smiling. In an attempt to explain, she stumbled over her words realizing she didn’t have an adequate response to my question.
I realized after overhearing her say the first time “You can get four pairs of earrings over there for the price of one of hers” that she wasn’t an Entrepreneur, an Artist, or an Art Collector. I realized she didn’t understand the value of artisan jewelry but I wanted her to realize just because she didn’t understand the value, that others do. I wanted her to understand that discouraging others to invest in what she didn’t want to or couldn’t invest in, is unacceptable behavior.
By the end of the event, she made her way back to my table with her creative friend. She looked me in the eyes and sincerely complimented my Ear Art and myself as an Artist. It was her way of apologizing. I sincerely thanked her for the compliment as all three of us shared a smile.
Original Artwork by Ebony London
Artwork: 16 in w x 20 in l
Frame: 19 in w x 23 in l
Gentle Giant
Imagine that you are three times as tall as you currently are. For example, that would make me, being 5 ft, 6 in, approximately 16 1/2 feet tall! To give you a visual, consider Michelangelo’s David. This sculpture is 14 feet tall! Almost three times the height of an ‘average’ person.
Now imagine, a person, the height and width of Michelangelo’s David becoming angry and frustrated! Imagine this massive giant, directing all that anger at you! Yelling loudly, screaming from the top of their lungs, and cursing obscenities at you. Imagine your fear as you are looking up at the giant! Imagine how thunderous the giant’s voice is to your small ears! Imagine the saliva falling, unknowingly, from the giant’s mouth and covering your face, as the giant screams, yells, and curses at you!
Imagine how helpless you feel, knowing that you can’t outrun a giant and would anger the giant even more if you tried.
The moral of this story. To a small child, you are a giant! On average, you are two to three times their height and width. From a small child’s point of view, you are massive! You appear to be as tall and wide to them as Michelangelo’s David is to you! Please consider how you appear from a child’s point of view as you discipline them and as you show them love. Be a gentle giant.
Original Artwork by Ebony London
Artwork: 16 in w x 20 in l
Frame: 19 in w x 23 in l
Photo of Michelangelo’s David gets clean-up, by Archaeology Newsroom