Why Does She Call My Spiritual Pain Political?

For the Women Who Work in the LAX Hotel Corridor

©Thomas P. Eggebeen – June, 2009

Why does she call my spiritual pain political?

When I can’t work, because my back is bad, and I’m afraid to go to the emergency

Room, because I have no money … and my son needs a new pair of sneakers for

School … and

I pray to Jesus … and

I cry myself to sleep … and

I scream in silence … because I don’t want

My children to lose their

Childish hope for a better life.

Why does she call my spiritual pain political?

When she lives on top of the hill,

In a big house, with fancy things,

And drives a big SUV, all black and sassy.

And can call a man to fix her pool

Without batting an eye.

And see a doctor and get the bills paid.

Why does she call my spiritual pain political?

She prays, she says – about what?

What does she fuss and fret about?

Maybe I should call her up and tell her,

“That’s not very spiritual – that’s political,

You and your world of so many big things.

Getting what you want, when I can’t

Get enough of what I need.”

Maybe I should call her up.

She calls me up in the hotel – “Bring me lunch,

Make my bed,

Clean the bathroom,

Make me comfy.”

I think that’s political, don’t you?

That the world should be arranged for her comfort.

Her income.

Her taxes.

Her medical benefits.

Her church and her home.

And that big fancy black SUV.

Burns more gas in a week than I

Use in a month.

What does she pray about?

I wonder if I should call her up and ask.

I wonder if she knows just how

Political her life is.

All dressed up in her religion.

Which is never political, of course.

Because it’s all about Jesus and faith, and the

Bible and getting saved and

Going to heaven.

But what about my Jesus, my faith, my tears, my hopes, my fears, my pain?

Because my back hurts from hefting 18 beds every day for

Fifteen years -

And my super tells me that I’ll lose my job if I

Miss one more day of work …

Well, that’s political, isn’t it?

Some union folks were by the other day …

And I was afraid.

My super told me, “Don’t talk to them.”

So I didn’t.

But I prayed.

Is it political to pray:

For a safe place to work …

Some benefits along the way …

That the wealthy who try not think about it might

Think about it …

What does she pray about?

I know she prays.

She prays for her children; I do too.

She prays for her man; so do I.

She prays for her health; me, too, all the time.

She prays for world peace; I pray that late-night gunfire would stop.

She thanks God for a dinner table filled with goodies – I pray for enough money for hot dogs and cereal.

She prays for her safe voyage on a big ship – I pray that I’ll have enough money for next week’s rent.

She calls my spiritual pain political.

Why?

In honor of La Mikia Castillo – a tireless worker for justice.