I made it thereafter into the town of Trainer Where a series of yet-met Friends provided a series of kindnesses that made a hard day so much smoother. First there were Ellie & Jayre, who were both having “a rough day” (details neither asked for nor provided) and yet who both went out of their way to welcome me into their shop and shower me with cold water and caring anyway. Then, a bit further down the road, I was completely lost (after having totally missed a turn that a previous convenience store clerk had said I “couldn’t miss”) when Scott broke off his yard work to use his phone to help me find my way once more. Finally, in yet another a Wawa convenience store (where I stopped a few miles further on – more “wawa” from the Wawa), customer Denise overhears me sharing about The Walk and immediately buys me an apple & an orange for the road …

“You don’t ever really know about the other travelers you meet and they in turn have no real idea who you truly are either. And that is truly special indeed, for whenever strangers meet in this pure fashion there aren’t any detrimental preconceived notions about the other, and in this crystalline space or inerrancy there is far more room for understanding and compassion and even kindness to arise. When you walk solo amongst others – as a pilgrim or a hiker or hobo or even a pedestrian, it is bot easy and appropriate to feel like you & others all belong – that you are all connected to not only your common world, but also with your common quests of conscience – the same inner self that lives in the heart of every other sentient being on the planet … In truth in this world we are all travelers on a common ship that has set sail from one unknown port en route to another equally foreign to us; we should treat each other therefore with the gentleness due to all life’s journeymen & wanderers.” ~ inspired by Forrest Curran & Fernando Pessoa

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt