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| A Walk in the Woods |
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| Soon-to-be tomato |
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| My favorite and latest emergence. |
As it sometimes happens, I was seated next to an especially chatty man on my flight from Seattle to Salt Lake City. At the end of the flight he leans over and asks me if he had talked my ear off. I shook my head no, even though technically he had, as I secretly enjoyed the craziness of his life story. For starters, I learned he was a Mormon missionary in Chile during a hostile political coup in 1972. He saw trucks full of dead bodies and even participated in a revolt. One of his daughters was kidnapped, while another daughter had beaten Lymphoma cancer and she, along with the rest of her siblings - four sisters and one brother - ran a marathon in Ireland which raised $26,000 to aid in fighting the disease. Once the plane landed and we parted ways, he turned to me and said, "You come visit me and my wife in southern Utah now! I know ya'd like her. She talks to trees and reads books just like you." We laughed and resumed our diverging destinations.
I'm currently in the middle of a three hour layover. A young woman with long iron curled hair, a buckskinleather jacket and high heels is sitting next to me. She is fumbling through her bag, uttering words of frustration in a manner and volume that suggests an invitation to curious enough onlookers to engage her in conversation. My hunch was confirmed when my simply looking in her direction was all the opening she needed in order to share the following unsolicited information with me. She explains how she failed to bring the correct charging cord, and that one of her nails, "which I just got done yesterday," chipped. I reply, "Wow. Sounds pretty rough?" in an attempt diffuse her razzed state. Instead, she pauses, fixes me with a curious, sideways look, not dissimilar from an excitedly attentive though unsure dog, and says, "Yeah, it's because of manicurist incompetence."
I remembered our conversation just as I went to step into the shower today. Instead of turning the nozzle left like I normally do, I turned it right instead. Since there was no need to wait for the water to heat up, I took a deep breath and stepped in. The initial discomfort was so great I only wet my hair for a few seconds before moving my body as far away from the shower head as possible. I used the dripping water from my hair to wet the rest of my body in order to soap up. When it was time to rinse, my desire to make the water warm was so strong, but I decided against it in an effort to follow through with giving the Russian theory a fair shake.
In less than four days I leave for another adventure on the road. This time a 26- foot-long school bus will be my humble abode. I don't know many of the trip's details, other than I will be with my friend Peter (purple hat), and that we will be wading through rivers, taking dips in hot springs, and riding bikes on the Venice Beach boardwalk. |
| My soon-to-be bed. |
Trust means relying on a person's integrity, strength, and ability. As for me, my trust is shaken due to a recent purchase via the internet. The details are as follows: The Ebay seller said she would ship the item as soon as my funds cleared. I was hoping to receive said item prior to leaving for California, but learned my method of payment would take a week or longer, not in time, so I used a credit card to expedite the process. I then called to stop the initial check, but when I learned it would cost $35 to do so, I decided to email the seller to notify her of the double payment and ask that she send the check back to me.
The article "Five Ways Writing Can Save Your Life," explains how the components of self-discovery, reflection, meditation, imagination and action are at the core of the writing experience. I can say from experience, as I near the end of my third month writing daily, the act of taking thoughts and emotions and translating them into words is a truly satisfying experience. I've learned there is no wrong answer, that the only expectations that exist are ones I set for myself, and it's better to try and fail than to do nothing at all. 
There is a saying that goes, "don't fight fire with fire." So, if you don't like something, don't add more of what you don't like to it. It seems very backwards to right wrongs with more wrongs. When I heard Phoenix Jones was a martial artist, that about did me in. It appears he may need a refresher course in the philosophy of what makes a true martial artist: 
Details. Details. Details. You see, lately all I've been thinking about are details, and I could not be more bogged down. Sure, I understand the need for an engineer to get the specks correct on a 747 airplane, or for James Bond to dismantle bombs just right, but that level of scrupulousness in every day life is just plain crazy talk. A few detailed-crazed-characters come to mind; the overbearing parent, the controlling friend, and the addicted lover, each of which make reoccurring appearances in our lives. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...and it's all small stuff is a book I don't even need to read because the title taught me everything I need to know. |
| How I Roll... |
At this point in my journey I'm more concerned with pleasing myself, and I have enough experience to know when I focus on what I want everything else will line up. 
You see the guy sitting highest in his chair? That's Henry. He's reading a passage from his love squared (not love triangle) novella. He spoke right before Alisse sang a song (she's not visible in this photo), we all clapped in rhythm to. Megan, the woman to the left of Henry, shared her fear that no one would read what she put up on the message board, and of course we promised we would. When it was my turn to share, the group facilitator Robert (to the right of Henry) and India (far left) pushed me to share more from my perspective and thought I should try to relate to the reader more.
Depending on the person's perspective - fearful or secure, hostile or peaceful, hopeful or pessimistic - it will dominate the way they perceive reality. However contrasting another's perspective may be to your own, it is not your job to change them, nor is it your job to convince them to think or feel like you. Rather it is your responsibility to accept others as they are, to deepen your compassion for them and then return to your inner peace, knowing that all is truly well. 
"The good you find in others, is in you too.
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| Not a progressive and fatal neurological disease, not losing a home to a fire, nor any other challenges put in the path of these two along the way could divide them. They are the epitome of strength and resilience. They are the true American love story. |
What keeps you from loving another person? Did they do something to hurt you? Do they not look how you want them to look? Do they act in some way that is inappropriate to you? Whatever the excuse or justification may be, remember that you, and you alone, are the only one who has the power to withhold love from others, as well as from yourself. 
Picture for a moment if you will writing down on a recipe card the ingredients which go into making you, you. Nothing is left out - personality traits, accomplishments, losses, traumatic experiences - it all gets written down. Separately, the ingredients may not seem that tasty, but when you combine them all together, a delicious meal is made.
Each day I learn something new. Some days the lessons are
easy, whereas other days the lessons pull the rug out from underneath me,
leaving me lost and confused. When I look back at my most difficult moments, it’s
always been attachment that has caused me the greatest amount of pain.
In Buddhism, non-attachment is taught to decrease suffering.
This process is a never-ending journey and one that requires continual
questioning. A good question to ask yourself is “What in this moment am I attached
to that is causing me pain?” Sometimes it’s the loss of a loved one, your
health, or a belief system but whatever the cause may be, attachment only makes
the experience worse. 
From the book Stop Drifting, Start Rowing: One Woman's Search for Happiness and Meaning Alone on the Pacific, the author, Roz Savage's explains, "It felt as if everything that had happened so far in my life had been leading me to this point, preparing me for this task, and that I was uniquely equipped to pursue this quest. It was a perfect collision of personality, past experience, purpose, and timing."
Leonard Knight. His name may not be one you've heard before, but once you've heard his words, you will never forget him. "I don't go to church, I just love and want to join the world in love."
How do you draw the line between what is and isn't your
business with regards to other people? Do you use a magnifying glass to peer
into the lives of those around you or do you prefer to sit back on a mountain top and
watch from above? It appears the extent to which we get involved in other
people’s lives (of which we have little control over) provides a
glimpse into our own psyche and discomfort with uncertainty. 
On a fly ball in baseball, the general rule of thumb is for the outfielder to make their first move a backwards step. This action leaves the fielder more prepared to
handle deeply hit balls. This also happens to be a good idea when dealing with people, too.
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| Abandon ship |
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| Change direction |
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| Now, get to work! |
There is an interesting new addition to my summer plans. I, along with my Dad and Chris, are headed on a 10- day hike around Mount Rainier on the Wonderland Trail. 
In other news, tonight we celebrated my nephew's Connor and Wesson's birthday. They are fraternal, not identical twins, but as you will see in the video below, it is impossible to tell them apart. Although Connor doesn't like the "Curly Connor" nickname given to him by his peers, it does serve a necessary purpose.