Another breezy and cool morning in northwestern Alabama. Another morning sitting in a McDonalds, eating the breakfast platter…I think this is where the term “Same shit, different day” came from.
Nothing too deep today, just some thoughts and comments on things to entertain/provoke/hopefully not bore you.
I spoke to Caleb Gosa yesterday morning, and he was very thrilled to hear from me. He is still a kinda/sorta guru for me when it comes to the ways of the road, and one of the things he told me yesterday was to remember the three “P”s. They are Patience, Perseverance and Practice. As they apply to the walking all day aspect of my current existence, I can certainly understand the first two, Patience and Perseverance, but Practice? How does one practice walking? When I first met Caleb in Savannah (at a McDonalds, before it became “same shit different day”) he told me about how to lessen the strain by just allowing your legs to move as if under their own power. It is a hard concept to explain, but there is a definite difference between purposefully taking a step, which requires its own bit of enegy being expended, and allowing the step to just happen. Forward momentum has a bit to do with it, and it helps to be lost in your thoughts or in some reverie, or just zoned out. The miles pile up a little less painfully that way. In my pathetic case, though, blisters have almost crippled me to the point that on some mornings standing is almost impossible and walking is a hot coal experience. In those cases, no amount of practice or patience is going to help. Perseverance definitely is called for though…
And so it is in life. Sometimes we go through our days purposefully making every move, getting our work done with good intentions, and at the end of the day we are exhausted from our efforts. But it’s a good exhaustion because we were doing something with a goal in mind and got it done. But when we go to our work-a day jobs that we don’t like, we drift towards quitting time and go home a different kind of exhausted from just trying to make it through the damned day. Is that what life is all about?
I commented the other day about the folks I have seen here in Alabama. Their lives seem to be a cycle of work, home and beer, to be blunt. That seems to me to be a very dull existence, and Im having none of it.
So I walk. Perseverance, Patience and Practice will get me through. As they will you, on your own journeys. Caleb Gosa may just be the smartest man I know. Or he may just have a lot of common sense. Either way, his words are wise, and I am pleased to share them with you.
Please make a DONATION in my name to WhyHunger.org
That is why I am out here. Thank you.
You're welcome.
ReplyDeleteI think one of those goals are a book, or possibly a screenplay = movie!
ReplyDeleteWe're really enjoying these words of a journey here. Keep up the reverent paces, and may your sage words and optimism continue to keep you and the rest of us, such good company.
Sir 'SORE FOOT', I can give U a little advice in knowing the poor and hungry.
ReplyDeleteAfter walking about 2 or 3 weeks, stop in a city with soup kitchens and hang out in the city parks where the homeless hang out and they wait for job offers.
One week or more will allow U to regain Ur energy.
Patience is required to follow this advise.
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteI like to make a long distance easy by having a tune in my head. I like using Paul McCartney's "Don't get out of rhythm. don't get out of rhythm..." from the Ram On album play in my head to move me forward. Pick your own tunes for your own pace.
Best~ Peter
Peter, that repetitious idea is very Zen, and I was planning to suggest Zen to Jim. There is a book entitled "Zen and the Art of Climbing Mountains" written by a man who scaled Mont Blanc (highest peak in the Alps) with no prior climbing experience ... the book was full of pearls of wisdom as I remember it and lots of my own underlining and marginal comments. Highly recommended reading.
ReplyDeleteIt is "Zen IN the Art of Climbing Mountains" by Neville Shulman. Amazon has 4 used copies and it is also available from www.abebooks.com which has just about any book from any era you could possibly wish for!
ReplyDeleteSore Foot, I will attempt to give you some advise on easing the pain from my experience of walking across America 10 times for a similar reason as U R doing.
ReplyDeleteIf U keep trying to think of Ur purpose to 'feed the hungry', U will eventually get an 'EPIPHANY' that will lead U in the right direction from pain.
The epiphany will come on it's own timing, not Urs. So Practice Patience.
PS: The simple definition of 'EPIPHANY' is 'I GET IT, I GET IT, I GET IT', thank you Father'.
ReplyDeleteSore Foot, I do not mean to take up to much of your comment space but I wanted U to know that I am not a 'GURU' as U mentioned about me.
ReplyDeleteI am only a 'CONDUIT' from the only GURU that writes advise on my heart to be passed to U. When U get your first epiphany, U will understand what I just said.
WALKINGLASS, you are fine. I dont have time to respond to everything but I do read and treasure them. PLease keep it up. A lot of people are enjoying your comments as well, so thank you. You are a guru to me whether you want to be or not. Wear the mantle proudly.
ReplyDeleteA few definitions of 'TEACHER' is master or doctor if you use the Greek words and Ecclesiastes, Rabbi, Rabboni if you use the Hebrew version and many other ways to say 'TEACHER' such as GURU as one.
ReplyDeleteMy Teacher tells us, the true disciples of Christ, in Matthew 23:8 of the Holy Bible "But do not be called teacher; for One is your Teacher and you are all brothers.
Others of the 50 English versions of the Holy Bible may use one of the above mentioned words or another one or One.
It just takes time or patience to learn if U practice with persistance, so hang in there, I'm with U.