Ashland, OH.
Happy New Year! There is something about starting on a clean slate that motivates one to take on goals, tasks, & challenges with renewed rigor or a different approach. I myself didn't set any traditional resolutions, nothing against them, I'm still working on my multitude of goals previously set. Some will be completed soon, others later in the year, and some I'll be working on for a lifetime which I'm totally fine with. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get out of debt, make more money, etc. as long as made it clear in your mind and have made the first step toward the goal (regardless of the circumstances you may face), you are on the right track -- just don't give up!
My New Years was very low-key which I was fine with. I spent large portion of it planning my donation process from receiving contribution, to distributing donation gifts, to giving the proceeds to the American Diabetes Association.
It is a lot of work and still have more work to complete. I'm not complaining because it is something I whole heartedly believe in. I'm not afraid of the word "no" so I will be contacting everyone I know, people I meet, asking for referrals, and asking individuals I don't know via phone, email, text, Facebook, this website, mailings, and face-to-face -- can't stop, won't stop.
It is a lot of work and still have more work to complete. I'm not complaining because it is something I whole heartedly believe in. I'm not afraid of the word "no" so I will be contacting everyone I know, people I meet, asking for referrals, and asking individuals I don't know via phone, email, text, Facebook, this website, mailings, and face-to-face -- can't stop, won't stop.
I ordered a large quantity of business card to hand to people I meet. It will help getting the word out so people will remember me and most importantly remember to donate. Business cards will make the bond between myself and the person I'm interacting with that much stronger so even when I'm gone down the road to the next town that card is still in their presence.
Above are the boots I just ordered, from a recommendation from Brother John. My current shoes could not stand 16-hours of marching through the deep snow. That issue lead to me marching over 5 miles one night, so I have to keep my socks covered in shopping bags (McDonalds plastic bags work the best) until I get my boots. I just hope the height of the shoe doesn't restrict my ankles.
I've been truly blessed to receive free food along the journey. I don't look for it, it just happens out of the blue. Subway is my favorite restaurant because they are the friendliest so I know they will continue to hook a brother up, on the other hand McDonalds workers seem very programmed and scared. Sometimes I know they want to start a dialog about where Im going or doing but something always holds them back.
This week I'm headed to Lexington, Mt. Gilead, Delaware (the city), and then Powell/Colombus. This is my home stretch before I spend some time in Powell and Columbus, and then I pick up pace and work my way south to start walking the American Discovery Trail. The ADT is the longest non-motorized trail that stretchest from coast to coast.
Day 39 was a tough day. It was the coldest, windiest day I have experienced and was so cold I took no breaks unless I had to eat or go to the bathroom. The only way to make it through was to focus on my breathing, turn my thoughts off, go into a slight walking trance, and focus on the snowy & icey 5 feet in front of me.
It worked perfectly until another police officer pulled me over. He told me it was too cold to be walking the highway and offered me a ride, I declined and told him why I walking and that I was on a mission. He didn't like the sound of that, they never do, and proceeded to ask me for ID. How does it go from offering me a ride to running my record? Anyway, I went through the regular "yes'm boss" motions, he gave me my ID, and wishes me a good trip.
[Just deleted a whole rant.]
While walking the last leg of that day's walk, a couple pulled over and offered me a ride (which happens often) and I graciously declined. They respected that request and told me if I was hungry the house was a mile down the road, so I thanked them. That mile was the longest mile in the world. I was cold, tired, and hungry.
I finally made it, almost walking past the house. Jeff greeted me at the door and welcomed me in and introduced me to his beautiful wife Stephanie, his two children Samantha (whose going off to college in Venezuela) & Steven (who works doing construction) and their very energetic dog, Terrapin.
Their family lifted my spirits and fed my belly with both German stew and Spanish soup along with grapefruit juice, one of my
my favorite beverages. The way their family interacted wasn't anything extraordinarily, but I was in awe because it was just something I had and then lost after my mother passed away 17 years ago. Anyway, I talked with them for a bit, thanked them, said my good-byes, and then departed as I finished my day's journey near the heart of town.
A big part of life is loving and helping others, I try to practice this daily, and if an individual is not... they're truly missing out.
It worked perfectly until another police officer pulled me over. He told me it was too cold to be walking the highway and offered me a ride, I declined and told him why I walking and that I was on a mission. He didn't like the sound of that, they never do, and proceeded to ask me for ID. How does it go from offering me a ride to running my record? Anyway, I went through the regular "yes'm boss" motions, he gave me my ID, and wishes me a good trip.
[Just deleted a whole rant.]
While walking the last leg of that day's walk, a couple pulled over and offered me a ride (which happens often) and I graciously declined. They respected that request and told me if I was hungry the house was a mile down the road, so I thanked them. That mile was the longest mile in the world. I was cold, tired, and hungry.
I finally made it, almost walking past the house. Jeff greeted me at the door and welcomed me in and introduced me to his beautiful wife Stephanie, his two children Samantha (whose going off to college in Venezuela) & Steven (who works doing construction) and their very energetic dog, Terrapin.
Their family lifted my spirits and fed my belly with both German stew and Spanish soup along with grapefruit juice, one of my
my favorite beverages. The way their family interacted wasn't anything extraordinarily, but I was in awe because it was just something I had and then lost after my mother passed away 17 years ago. Anyway, I talked with them for a bit, thanked them, said my good-byes, and then departed as I finished my day's journey near the heart of town.
A big part of life is loving and helping others, I try to practice this daily, and if an individual is not... they're truly missing out.
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