Subway Preacher

Let me start by saying that I really hate when people on the subway preach religion to people, beg for money or sell little knickknacks for money. I just want a peaceful ride, well as peaceful as one can get being squashed in standing like a sardine on a dirty (sometimes smelly, sometimes hot) subway.

This morning, I actually got a seat (lucky me). At the next stop after mine, this lady got on. I would never have noticed her, I didn't notice her until she started singing. I looked over to see who was rude enough to start singing on the subway, disrupting all of the other passengers. Before I could see who it was, I started thinking to myself that the lady had a really good voice. It surprised me but I actually wanted to hear her better. I could barely make out any of the words over the subway noise. I found myself wanting to get to the next stop so that I could hear her better. But before we got to there, the lady stopped singing and started talking. She began talking about G-d. As I said before I HATE, HATE, HATE these type of things. But... her voice was so beautiful - strong, clear with a hint of a Caribbean accent - and for some reason I felt drawn. She didn't say - believe in G-d or else. She didn't say - you must pray or else. Her message was much more. Her message was just to believe. She said that you should just believe. If you don't believe then just look at yourself - there is no other human being that could create another human being (well fine, besides for conceiving and giving birth but you know what she meant). Look at how we went to bed last night and were able to wake up this morning, because there are other people who did not get that chance. We couldn't be here if G-d didn't let us. We are here now but we don't know what was here before. She said to turn to G-d when you are going through tough circumstances.

At the next stop, she got off and I was left with my thoughts. Maybe it was her mesmerizing voice, maybe it was her confidence but it also was her message. She didn't condemn anyone for what they do, how they do it or why they do it. She just said to believe.