Familiar Ground

GOOD EVENING all...I am presently back East near Allentown, PA, visiting friends and my sons, as well as retracing old walks...Most of my life was passed in this area, so there is a bit of nostalgia and reflection as I see all the old landscapes again, but I am uncertain as to whether I can still call here 'Home' or if that name now applies to Warren...I am in between homes I suppose, or have two homes now, and both hold special places in my memory. Walking along these roads it is like seeing the faces of friends I know intimately, for I have spent thousands of hours walking in solitude, and the land here possesses a beauty that is ingrained into my soul. The trees here have witnessed all the sorrows and joys that my life has fated me, so I pass among them with a humble gratitude which no other place has earned. I guess it's true that the heart is the cradle of home, and no place else I live or visit will ever have the long history of this area. Still there are many places that Could be home if my friends and family joined me to create new memories...In the end it is companionship and experiences shared that give a place meaning.
While on the walk my memories of home mostly concerned my two sons-not in the sense of specifically missing them-rather in me saying fatherly prayers that they both would find happiness in their lives. My tears on the road were in wishing-against all hope- that I could protect them from the pain that each of us Must experience in order to grow. My emotional state at such moments was elemental and connected with deep sympathy for our shared human condition. As Jackson Browne writes " Oh GOD, this is some shape I'm in, when the only thing that makes me cry is the kindness in my baby's eye."...so while on the road, living at that basic, physical level, my emotions were on the surface as well, and very simple. A song overheard on a passing radio could draw me into it with a power unknown in 'normal' life. In the end, there is no place to hide for any of us, and we are all connected in our needs.

Baseball

Good Afternoon folks...When the opportunity arose during the walk I enjoyed watching baseball games, and can remember several evenings when I pulled off my shoes after a long day and sat on the grass or in the bleachers to catch the local teams. The midwest communities were particularly enthusiastic about their Little Leagues, and people there possessed a healthy balance between cheering their favorite team, and appreciation for a well executed play. Which is to say that Sportsmanship was alive and well ... ;) Now that I have returned home I have watched some local playoff games, and saw a good game on the 14th that went into the bottom of the last inning, 2 out, 2 men on base, with a homerun that scored 3 and tied the game. After four extra innings that same team went on to win, again with 2 out and 2 men on in the bottom of the 11th inning. There's nothing like a close game between two good little league teams who have a real enthusiasm for playing- they put the pros to shame sometimes! I was never much good at B-ball, which is probably why I respect people who can instinctively put one over the fence or turn a double play... I am a humbled fan...

Took a 10 mile walk yesterday-just a loop near Warren-and thought that I had only done about 8 miles judging by my feet, which shows that one's physical conditioning stays intact if one exercises regularly. Because I am something of a minimalist, and tend to trust myself, I do not walk with a stick or heart monitor and other such gadgets. Nor do I carry water when walking casually, for I have found that drinking fluids beforehand is sufficient to sustain me for several hours. Two quarts will hydrate me for about ten miles even when carrying a backpack.... So what's the larger point? ....That people worry too much about technology and medical advice sometimes rather than simply getting off the couch and discovering what works for Them. With obesity approaching epidemic proportions, as well as asthma and diabetes on the rise, it is encumbent upon all of us to take responsibility for our own health and not expect others to pay the tab for our personal neglect. Simply walking a few miles a day will decrease your chance of aquiring type 2 diabetes by 50-60%!!! It'll help with weight loss and improve your mental state as well. How simple is that??!! Walk! ..and stop expecting other people to pay for health care costs and medicines that You could have prevented. If you don't like to walk, then bicycle, or swim, or golf without a cart, or shoot basketball... Do what you enjoy! But push yourself away from the computer and video game and Move!... and that's my sermon for today LOL...It really is sad to see so many Americans bringing so many ills upon themselves