So it occurred to me today that I ask people to be honest, with themselves and with me. Asking people to define peace is personal. I have the honor of witnessing people open up and share a moment with me. Likewise, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m drained. I rush everywhere! Today I reminded myself to lay in bed for 15 minutes, take 5 minutes to do my meditation and then to groom. Man, I haven’t even shaved my legs in two months. And that might not matter to some people. I never used to shave my legs, but I like too-I like to show off the tatts and muscles-and that’s ok. Busy women just don’t have time for this stuff.
Yesterday was a beautiful ride, clocking in at 280 miles, through VERY windy desert terrain. And honestly, I didn’t want to write a blog, although I did upload and label pictures. Instead, my friend was online and we watched some youtube videos and laughed-many many states apart but still sharing a moment. Here are the links to a couple of the videos that we watched (profanity warning):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PZGw8zqGRQc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mqs9ap3iV-4&mode=related&search=
Anyhow, it was the FIRST time this whole trip that I didn’t ride hard, unpack my stuff and jump to write. I caught myself thinking back a lot yesterday, to all the states I visited 2 months ago and the people I met. Two weeks from today, three months from the start, I will pull into Crawford, TX. Daphne and her daughter Courtney will meet me there. In fact, they are driving from Maine to support P.E.A.C.E SCOOTER -which astonishes me. I’m totally moved that someone I met through this journey is just as inspired as myself-and willing to go the distance. They will drop me off in VA-but I still have to figure out how to get Audre home. I think a trailer will be to expensive to tow her.
I have lots of things to tell you about and plan to catch up on the blog entries, over the next couple of days. I also need to contact some of those Peace making organizations and see if anyone wants to rally with me in Crawford. Any suggestions on that? My good friend Katie is in Flagstaff, AZ, where I’m headed in just a minute. I plan to stay there until Tuesday. Funny how my perspective has changed this trip- Flagstaff is only 155 miles down the road and that seems like cake to me. I keep catching myself saying “Oh, only 2,500 miles left.” Only???!!!!
Right now, I need to stay in the moment, I still have many states to experience and many strangers to meet. So, thats where I am now-in the moment-being honest that it’s hard to stay grounded. Hope you all have a good weekend!
Home Stretch. This project has been an amazing journey. It would have been hard to NOT get involved. Thanks for taking me along.
Alix, I remember chatting with you in June, about a month before you left and saying I’d like to go along, but I had this and that and a bunch of reasons I couldn’t go on the road for two months. And those reasons turned into reasons I couldn’t ride even for a couple of states. And then I began to realize that *I* was a classic example of how Americans, despite our rage against this war machine, REMAIN COMPLETELY STILL…We go about our day, afraid to shake up our 9-5 schedule, or call in sick to go to a protest, or even to take care of our sick parent or child. We live in fear everyday-fear of orange alert, layoffs, fear of breastmilk even.
That day I decided to start turning my thinking around: to find ways I COULD come meet you, and reasons I SHOULD take time to work for Peace. I decided to stop letting the urgent get in the way of the important. Your determination drove my determination. I flew out to Seattle in August and in the name of Peace and out of a very pure love for everything about this project, I saw three states and spoke about peace to many many people in the span of those 2 days.
And I had spoken to many before I left, and many since I’ve returned.
I am looking forward to gathering people together for the finish line in Texas, and I’m anxious have my daughter join me in the journey (although she’s been a little peace soldier all along, trying to figure it out in her own 8-year old way) In eleven days, exactly 4 months (to the day)since I first heard of your plan, we will fly from Maine to Virginia and drive to Texas in the name of Peace. Everyday and All along the way, I don’t and won’t stop talking about this project.
Each person who reads this, each person you speak to, those are seeds you plant. We all have the ability to inspire others to JUST THINK ABOUT PEACE. What does it MEAN, what does it LOOK like? Ask important questions…get to know each other. If nothing else ever comes from those conversations, something is accomplished when time is spent in Peace between two people.
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes from within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Sacred, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of [people]. – Black Elk
See you in 13 days!! In Peace and with pure Gratitude, Daphne