Day 61

I started the day with hot coffee and this Peace cereal for breakfast, both of which made me smile.

Colleen was kind enough to drop me off in a shopping center where there are lots of people, and I had some great encounters. My first conversation was with Jimmy Schrader, a retired Air Force officer. Jimmy asked where I was walking, and when I mentioned through California to Oregon, Jimmy regaled me with stories of the Oregon coast, which is his favorite place in the country. We talked about being in the military, traveling, the “new face” of fighting/battle, how to connect to people, being grateful for what we have, and lots of other things. Ultimately, Jimmy had to get to physical therapy, or we might have been in conversation all afternoon. Thanks, Jimmy.

Just a bit later, I met Calvin and his mom, Dara Weyna. I asked Calvin if I could take a picture of his shirt, and he said yes. Dara and I visited for several minutes, and might have continued, but Calvin was ready to go take care of their errands.

I also spoke for quite a while with a kind man who was waiting for his wife to complete her shopping. Wally and Nancy have had quite a difficult time (medical issues) over the last several years, yet Wally was talking about how much he has to be grateful for. He had overheard me speaking with Dara, and asked me for my web site address, which I gave him. Later, when Nancy came out, I introduced myself, and Wally shared with her that I am a life coach. Nancy indicated that “she needs so help getting her life back on track”.  I gave Nancy my website information and said I would be happy to talk with her about coaching. As we all went our own ways, I realized that Wally really made me feel Peaceful, and I was grateful for out time together.

I left a note for the bookstore owner (she was out this afternoon) about possibly doing an impromptu talk at the store about Peace – and having the 1conversation for Peace cards available for sale.

In an effort to incorporate my intention for today, which was to invite a different perspective, I moved from table to table, so that I changed what I saw and the energy around me.

All in all, it was a full and most enjoyable day on the Walk for Peace!