Alrighty... I flew into Pittsburgh from LA on Tuesday the 19th, found that the connecting flight to Erie had been cancelled, so decided to walk most of the way home to Warren, PA...I arrived in town yesterday morning, the 24th..The extra 100 plus miles enabled me to re-visit the East coast, which in western Pennsylvania was hilly, with narrow, twisting roads, yet which also provided many more opportunities for water and food than the western states.
Before leaving Los Angeles, I had signed an agreement with Walkfit to promote their insoles, the details of which are still being finalized. As part of that human interest aspect, the local paper will be doing an interview with me tomorrow.
This is all new to me, but the exposure offers a win/win opportunity to promote the book I'm working on and hopefully to inspire people to begin that thing they've been dreaming about all their lives. I think the truth I wish to stress is the basic goodness of America...To witness the media focusing on the negative aspects of humanity is a travesty, for at root all thoughts and actions are self affecting, and without balance it is little wonder that so many people lose faith.
We are a good nation founded on high ideals, and it is up to each of us individually to manifest those ideals in our day to day existence. Personally, thousands of hours of walking and writing have provided me with a solid spiritual sense, and it was to those 'angels'-or whatever you wish to call your inner power-that I made the promise to do this walk. Before leaving I had humbly asked for the time, health and courage to begin it, although after a thousand miles I had added patience and perserverance and Water to the list. Many years ago I had imagined that wanting anything other than food,water, clothes, and a warm, dry place to sleep was the beginning of greed. I know now that Kindness-in the simple offering of water, or directions, or encouragement-is also a necessity. The latter can sustain one's spirit as much as those other needs can sustain the body. That is, keep your needs simple and your wants will be few....Well..I shall end there, for there is a baseball game I wish to attend, and I feel the desire to kick off my shoes for a day or two ;)
