Monthly Archives: November 2013
Rocio Returns! Philadelphia!
Interview with Philadelphia NBC 10′s Keith Jones
CLICK HERE FOR TV INTERVIEW LINK
As I’d enjoyed the slow-growth return of hair from the shaved head from which I left Washington, D.C., only in this interview did I notice that I suddenly am in need of a comb again, LoL!! Actually–I think I just prefer to buzz the hair down again–for I like low maintenance better
The Back-Splashing Waves of Ironic Bliss :)
Ready to sleep outdoors if not invited indoors anywhere, I’ve noticed a pattern of great irony within this journey in which I have to live on the thinnest thread of a budget: it’s not unusual for me to be invited in by hotels, motels or other inns across the miles. I’ve even lost count of how many have actually done so (great people!!). What I have noticed, is almost NEVER does a cheap hotel invite me in; almost always, the rooms I stay in normally go for over $100 per night–often far higher than $100 per night.
I’ll be spending all of next week in Philadelphia area hotels and bed & breakfasts–all of which far surpass this triple-digit dollar threshold–none of which remotely come close to any sort of lifestyle I could budget for across the 4,700 miles of this trip. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts; however, this life on the road has also meant that I can be outdoors in my tiny tent one night, in a thousand-dollar room the next night, and back in my tiny tent the following night (this actually happened once–in Big Sur, California–and I enjoyed all three nights!).
It’s quite a life–and as I’m soon to reach the Atlantic, I’m both enthusiastically optimistic and even a bit nervous about the major transitions to this “road life” which I’ve recently discovered has become “normal” for me across the years and the many miles… (It will be up to me to create and welcome a new soul-centered, Universe-friendly mega-challenge for life’s coming chapters…)
Here’s to appreciation of life’s waves, including the back-splashing waves filled with ironic bliss
Friends New and Known :)
10 miles into the City of Brotherly Love
Veteran distance walker Garth Poorman, who walked from New York to New Orleans in 2009, met me a few blocks from the home of hosts Jordan & Kristin (and daughter Evalyn!). Kristin & Evalyn walked me to Garth, and then Garth, who lives in the area, guided me the next 10 miles through a very WIDE variety of socioeconomic strata into the heart of Philadelphia. I end the day on the 17th floor of Garth’s cousin’s apartment, overlooking the Philadelphia waterfront, the Old City district, and the NJ border…
…
Rural SE Pennsylvania
DIE SMILING
Due to on-the-road accidents, nearly 100 of us will die today across these United States. Years ago, I had a very, VERY REAL nightmare that on my way to work, I was mangled in a horrible auto accident, and left with just minutes to live. Everything that was happening, everything I was feeling, it was all SO REAL.
Knowing that I had only minutes to live, a stream of thoughts rushed through my mind:
“Why did I waste so much time doing XYZ?
Why didn’t I use the time I had to go for ABC?
Why did I let QRS bother me so much?
Why did I just keep sleepwalking through this job I’ve been working??
Why didn’t I listen to my soul’s voice for what I could and should really be doing with my life..??”
As I reached my final few breaths of life, the consciousness stream desperately repeated:
“If I JUST had another chance–I could do ABC. If I just had another chance, I could LISTEN to and FOLLOW MY SOUL’S VOICE!!!”
Through the course of these final few breaths of life, I suddenly realized how truly ENORMOUS is the potential that I in addition to YOU and EVERYONE else has in this life we’re living–and only when everything was so quickly slipping away did I finally feel more ready than ever to actually open myself up to and seize this vast potential–to actually live life in a way in which I could wake up and go to bed every day feeling truly happy and spiritually self-assured with the path I was taking with life.
As my final few breaths wound down, soul full of trauma, I reached the end. Death.
Then I woke up.
This nightmare was so real, that part of me still wonders if it actually happened–and that after dying, I was placed back into my body, back in bed over the weekend to awaken and to digest the full meaning of the experience. Who am I? Why am I here? What should I be doing with the limited time available to me?
At the time, I couldn’t just leap out from the entirety of my current existence and role I’d been living; however, I could plan radical changes in life–and ultimately, this is exactly what I’ve done: I’ve radically transformed the life I was living. Life now is much more challenging than it was ten years ago, and it’s also vastly more rewarding. The challenges may not always be fun, but I learn from every one of them.
Recently, I’ve again dreamed of a death scenario:
I was in a shopping mall, and gunmen opened fire. I was in the line of fire and was hit twice in the abdomen. I wasn’t sure if I’d be surviving or not. This time, however, there was no “Oh Shit!” expression on my face. This time, I fell to the ground and found a smile on my face and in my heart. In recent years, by and large, I’ve been walking the trail of the life I feel I should be living. And the greatest lesson of the road that I’ve learned is this: whether I shall pass from this Earth in 60 years from now or 60 days from now, the most important object in life is that each of us (you and I) continue to follow our soul’s voice through the path which is our unique role for creating the better, brighter world for ourselves in addition to the world around us.
Hopefully, we aren’t one of the 100 Americans who succumb to on-the-road accidents today, tomorrow, or any day. That said, having walked by and through countless graveyards from coast to coast, one thing is certain: you and I will both reach those final few breaths of life as well. This has happened to people we know, and it will happen to us as well. It may happen in 60 years, or it may happen later this week. It WILL happen. Therefore, the most critical life’s question you must ask yourself is:
“What state of mind do I wish to be in as I reach my final few breaths of life..?”
Meditation will clear the clouds of clutter and reveal your soul’s path to you–even if the path extends across mountains over which you cannot yet see.
Only by following your soul’s path will you truly be ready to transition on, at your time.
Only by following my soul’s path every day will I ultimately reach the greatest goal of my life–a goal which is ultimately be summed up in two simple words–only then will I “DIE SMILING.” <3
Indian Food Weekend
Ever spent a weekend with an Indian restaurant?
Until now, neither had I.
BIG THANK YOU to Nanda, owner of Nirvana Fine Indian Cuisine in Wilmington, Delaware, for hosting me for 48 hours and providing me with delicious Indian food from lunchtime Friday till lunchtime today, introducing me to many great locals along the way.
WINTER SHOES!!!
BIG shout of GRATITUDE to Jamie Graham, Rosemary Mento & Staff at nbretail.com.
Jamie fitted me yesterday with a brand new pair of New Balance MW1569 (Gore-Tex) “Country Walking Shoes.”
I had only the worn-down pair of sandals shown, which I’ve been wearing since Charlotte, North Carolina. These sandals were not the best way to walk into winter in New York, lol! These new waterproof, high-top shoes will easily get me to New York, and then some! Jamie and staff also ensured I was prepared with other gear for the road. They gave me a pair of super helpful running pants–an important layering piece. They also offered me tops; however, I’m good to go on athletic shirts for now.
I happily departed with valuable new essentials for the road (YAY!!!)–and better than those, a big, happy, running store hug!!!
Thanks so much Jamie, Rosemary and NBRetail staff!!!