Whew!! It's been quite a trip. I left Carmichael Tuesday afternoon and arrived in Columbus Ohio Friday morning about 4:00 A.M. It's been a trip of incredible meetings, tests of patience and opportunities for being present, accepting and surrendering.
There was a group of young men on the bus when I boarded. They were launching into sales careers, were on their way to Detroit for a sales training and were so excited. A man was sleeping behind me who woke up towards the end of the trip. He woke up, heard them talking and began to tell them what a superstar salesman he was. He was "making thousands of dollars a week practically giving away his product." I was very suspect of his story to say the least. The young men were very impressed. We pulled into Reno (photo above from front of bus station) and SuperSalesman was right in front of me as we exited. Two steps off the bus, two plain clothes cops approached him, said "hello", then said "you know why we're her right?" SuperSales looked resigned as the slapped cuffs on him and led him away. Made me wonder what he was selling.
I got about an hour and a half of sleep the first night. The Sun came up on the Utah desert. Very surreal traveling across the salt flats with the Sun rising. We arrived into Salt Lake City about an hour late. We were late from the time I got on until I exited in Columbus. We left Salt Lake City about an hour and a half late. The driver was driving about 50 mph and I was thinking we were not going to get to Denver today at this rate. He then announced that the bus wouldn't go more than 55 mph and we were going back to the shop. The next thing we know smoke I coming into the bus. We went around a curve, looked behind and a stream of smoke about 50 feet high was trailing the bus for as far back as we could see. The driver kept going as more smoke came in. I was about ready to tell him he had to pull over and let us out because it was getting very dangerous to be breathing that crap. Next thing we know the police are behind us with lights flashing and sirens going and we pulled over. A turbo had blown throwing oil into the hot exhaust system and igniting. The TV stations' news teams came and recorded stories and entertained one of the young salesmen, which was quite entertaining.
Perhaps the most profound part of the trip were the people I met. Most of the passengers were very kind, considerate and thoughtful. The first specific meeting was in Reno, after I had prayed, turning the trip over to God and realizing that what this trip was about was meeting people and being of service and of learning from those being in service to me. I met a man from Santa Cruz, thanks to my Banana Slugs T-shirt. He works in a group living home for autistic and schizophrenic young men. I mentioned how much patience that must take and how amazing it was for a man in his twenties. He proceeded to explain that it had nothing to do with patience but was all about total presence in the moment. I realized this was God speaking to me through him, reminding me of my focus for this trip. Letting go of plans and concerns and staying totally present in the Now to the best of my abilities. I have been reminded of that over and over since.
Then on the bus between Salt Lake City and Denver I met a man, carrying a drum. He was headed to the Rainbow festival. We talked about the Rainbow festivals, the love and light he experienced in the Rainbow community. He shared his beliefs and research about veganism and the polluting effects of meats and fats on the body as they build up plaque in the intestines. This conversation was stimulated by me commenting the double cheese burger I was eating was the first I had eaten from McDonald's in years, but that I was hungry for something besides my nuts and trailmix. This made me look at how slovenly I am in regards to maintaining my body and respecting it as the temple for God's presence that it is. I have a hard time becoming willing to make the changes I need to do for my physical health. He mentioned that there are three kinds of food; generative, neutral and degenerative and that we had a choice. And the nature of the food wasn't just the effect it had on our bodies but the effect it had on the planet. Raising cows is having a devastating effect on the environment. This caused me to reflect on my responsibility to the planet in the consumer choices I make.
Perhaps the most profound meeting was in Denver. We arrived in Denver five hours late. The staff was supposed to be making special arrangements to get us moving on since our scheduled bus had left hours before. The counter person was telling me the opposite of what I had been told, when I purchased it, about using my travel pass. I was starting to lose my patience and realized that was doing no good so I walked away to wait in line for over two hours. I asked the man behind me if he would watch my bags while I went out for a smoke and he did. Coming back from my smoke I prayed for patience and to stay present in the moment. I thanked the man and we began to talk about spiritual purpose, staying humble, the total surrender of our lives to God's will, our relationship with Christ, not being attached to desire and results. In the process God was once again speaking directly to me through him. He was organizing my focus and attention for this journey, and for life. I have had this kind of experience two other times in life, where out of nowhere, someone start speaking to me about precisely where I am at on my spiritual path with precise directions for what to do now. I sincerely believe that if I stay in humility, surrender and acceptance that my life will be guided in such a way continuously. I will be guided to how to be of optimum service to His will and purpose. I choose this path out of my own free will and I pray that I can be and remain worthy of the grace that so abundantly rains into my life.
I pray that all living beings experience peace and joy today.
Alan
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