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Sunday, July 23, 2006
Yesterday while talking to Du Pray I realized I made some remarks from a place of auto pilot. They were an attempt to appear bad, which is not how I choose to show up now. So I decided the next time I encounter another person, before I talk, I will ask myself one question (what would love do now or what would love say) before I respond so that I come from a conscious choice. I understand it takes 21 times of doing something before it becomes a habit. Well maybe within an hour I had my first chance and was on auto before I knew what happened, even saw them coming. I had several more opportunities and blew most of them. I think this is going to take quite an effort just to do it once smoothly. Being the recovering Catholic that I am it would be easy to beat myself, but love would give me a break (hey it’s working already)
I called the local paper (Bennington Banner) and just caught the reporter (Matt Tuthill) before he left for the day. He came right over and interviewed me and we discovered we lived in the same area in Long Island, I know his relatives.
Monday, July 24, 2006
I’m taking another zero day, I go outside and the managers wife smiles at me which I thought a little strange for I had not seen her smile the whole time I’ve been here. Her husband comes to me with the morning paper (Monday morning) my story is on the front page! I am amazed since the interview was yesterday and on a Sunday afternoon.
Sue and I go into town and it seems everyone reads the paper here, we go to breakfast @ the Blue Ben Diner and the Veterans home is across the street. After breakfast Sue insisted we visit the Veterans home, I met with John J. Miner head of the Vietnam Vets. In Vermont and The Vermont State Counsel President His e-mail is Vermontveteran@netscape.net I then met w/Moreen who counsels Vets, She supports the idea of making counseling mandatory so that we all get it!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Back in the woods after a nice store bought breakfast of blueberry pancakes swimming in butter and syrup.
I met Wild Bill, Wrong Way , The Energizer Bunny, Johnny Apple seed and the next lobbyist for Quakers who is looking into our program and supports what we do. I also met Kuta who saw me in Fontana in 2000 where I had taken a piece off my big toe. A few days later I went home from our honeymoon, my mission.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
On my way into North Adams Mass. I met Pumpkin, Low Gear, Boots, Tip Toes, Rain Maker, Beer Belly, Coach K, Mulligan, and others whose names I don’t remember. I got a ride right away (yeah) into town by Charlie, who was babysitting for his daughter, we talked about raising children and how he stopped doing drugs and drinking when his first child was 6mo old. It just wasn’t worth it anymore, he became responsible.
Met with Steve Dravis, a writer for the local paper, he interviewed me; he and his wife just had their first baby. He said “nothing like having a child to change your perspective”. The things we do to shelter and protect them, when do we stop caring, and what do we do for their attitudes, the attitudes that affect our children?
Saw several families hiking together, especially Donkey Lover and his father who joined him for a few days and seeing the joy they had in sharing an experience and just being together. T-Rex just told me that he just read, there are 209,000 homeless in the U.S.A. and 40% are Vietnam Vets. What heart ache are the families sharing? I can not let history repeat itself; what is the price of a family separated, what is the price of a family united? If everything is about money as everyone tells me, am I willing to pay the price to have a family united? Or will I do nothing letting the homeless ranks swell as well as the prison population and dysfunctional families, therefore reaping the benefits which people must think(since everything is about money and this is too expensive to fix?) is a strange economy, more jobs, a higher standard of living, lower gas prices, and saving money.
I would rather pay more for gas, ride a bike, use mass transit, walk, or go without than to have another one of our children not be brought home emotionally as well as physically. That is the price I’m willing to pay, how about those families of 80,000 Vets. That are homeless, what would they give to turn back the clocks? I do not want to repeat history, I want to change it.
Friday, July 28, 2006
I made it to the bird cage in Dalton Mass. I called the Berkshire Eagle and met guests of the Bird Cage… Smooth B, Fiddlehead, Seey Monk, Gypsy, Coed Bear, Dancing, Curly Locks, T-Rex, Dinosaur, Knock Knock, Happy Feet, and Bob Bird.
One of the kids said she was on the trail to find out what her passion was, maybe, she didn’t know. I thought how can you find an answer when you’re not sure what the question is? I think confusion is good for I must have that before I formulate a question, then I get an answer. It is better than denial where there is nothing or apathy where I don’t care if there is anything.
The paper come over and did an interview then I went to the VFW and the American Legion who will support the cause by writing letters. It rained heavily for a few hours, boy I really enjoy watching the rain from a porch while I’m wearing clean dry clothes; man am I hard to please or what?
Saturay, July 29, 2006
went for breakfast in town which was along the trail. The interview was on the front page, as I sat waiting for my order the lady at the counter started to read the paper, and then looked at me funny. I said that doesn’t look like me does it? She said yeah, she said there are no ex-Marines; I said you’re right, when were you in? She shared her husband made a career as a Marine beginning in 1955, her boys, her entire family is Marines. A couple of the customers overheard us, paid for my breakfast shook my hand and wished me luck, the counter lady kissed me and told me to take care of my feet; a very nice send off.
I went on to do 12 miles met Thor, Sven, Bruiser, Eggshells, C-4 and had dinner with Gypsy and her husband (they gave me potatoes, chipped beef, I gave them peanut butter cups).
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