While Americans celebrated the American Revolution, as a Canadian, I was having the best time of my life living in Venice Beach, California in the Spirit of ´76. It was my first winter in the warm sun in my lifetime. The Times and Winds of Change were favorable toward me since this unexpected Day.
At that time, Venice Beach was the self-proclaimed, last bastion of Freedom in the un-United States. The idea was anyone was Free to do anything, as long as there was no harm done to others, or diminished their equal rights.
One Day, I decided to test how real this right of Freedom of Speech was practiced in Venice? Sitting on a bench on the Boardwalk with my back to the ocean, I started to read from the Bible in a very loud voice. It seemed as though the Wind from the sea carried the words so that they reverberated among the buildings and along the Beach.
Watching the passersby, there were so many comments to the effect, ¨You can´t do that here. Go some place else.¨ People actually covered their ears, saying ¨Stop that! Stop that!” It was appearing more and more, many people don´t practice what they preach or believe in Freedom of Speech except for their own.
Continuing to read, someone came up to me sitting on the bench and cracked an egg on my head!
I was temporarily stunned, as the yoke dripped down my hair and face, onto my shirt and the Bible in my hands.
How to react? Should I stand up in the anger and wrath of God? Should I condemn him to Hell? It took a few seconds, but recovering, I stood up and said,
¨Have you never read these words in this Book? Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden IS Light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
After that, others came apologizing for that one and cleaned me up.
