Monmouth, OR to inquire about how much it would cost to have our packs
driven to Salem tomorrow. Maybe drop them off at performance event
gallery, Project Space or we'll show up at PS pack-less, taxi
delivering packs to TravelLodge instead. I like that this thought came
to me and I was willing to do it. (turns out Jay, Lisas husband, who
is coming to our gig at PS tomorrow night will pick up lots of our
stuff we're packing in a huge bag we got from night manager at motel,
before he comes to show. Love to you Jay)
In our Body Habitat collaborative posts(2) we mention remembering that
this project is about walking, not about suffering. I mean, who would
want to walk the valley if the main ingredient was suffering. & yes,
I'm aware there are people who might want to suffer. (Let's put them
aside for now, ok?)
I look around me as I walk, at the birds, dogs, horses, goats--none of
the animals plan their day around suffering, making the day harder for
themselves. I want them to teach me their way.
I had a teacher of body movement who proposed we consider the practice
to "Endure nothing." So tonight, at the motel in Monmouth, with sore
feet and doubts about my body's ability to keep on walking further, I
remember the practice and thought of calling a that taxi.
Already I know that in many ways as a society we have made the planet
inhospitable to walk where we want to go as just another animal living
in it's habitat. Now I'm beginning to see how I too cooperate with
this belief; that Walking is not a possible way to move through the
world easily. My choices & plans were made by an unenlighted mind,
even if the ideas to walk was outside the norm. There is More to know
about my cooperation & it is still hidden from me.
I do see tonight, that I do not (did not) know how to make real
decisions about making this walk be "about walking as a human animal."
As a culturally influenced being, my planning for walk was/is still
deeply influenced by a cultural bias that if I choose to walk, when it
is easier, therefore preferable, to drive, run, bike, then maybe its
just my tough luck to suffer while walking this valley. I don't buy
it.
So I wish I could have known even the little more I know now this
short distance into the walking journey. But there was no way to learn
it except by doing it.
I know I'll learn more as we walk. This is good. I'm cracking open a
door I didn't even realize was shut. This too is good.
I promise I will continue to tell you all about it.
From Lily,
Here we are.
--
Lily
here we are.
