Blowin' in the wind...

I try to walk 2 possibly 3 or more miles every day.  All my life I have used the gift of "WALKING" to clear my emotions, cleanse my brain of confusing issues as well as walking has helped my physical body to keep "moving".  That tired saying:  USE IT OR LOOSE IT!   Well, walking like I do I could loose it by being hit by a bus!  tripping over my own feet, or better yet simply falling into a deep hole and never climbing out.

I have hiked all over the world.  Places where some people would never place their feet.
In my youth I did do some very insane hikes... but thanks to the "INVISIBLE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF ANGELS" I did not fall in to many dark holes!  I do have a propensity to stumble.  I don't always "WATCH" where my feet are going therefore I trip over my feet and I do not go down gently.

I CRASH.  Yes, screams, blood, limping... DRAMA.  I have to have audiences.  People running to help me.  "OMG!  are your teeth okay?  did you hurt your knees?  (yes)  OH you have blood running down your arm! (no shit)  Can we drive you someplace? (NO!)  People are good to me.

Today I struck out on my walk early.  The wind was blowing at a gusty tempo.  I secured my cap because I love my caps.  They are old... but each one has a meaning and the wind damn near lifted my "Bank of Alpine" cap off into the universe!
Walking into the wind is like walking against water.  Makes one strong.  My lungs were panting for a more gentle way to suck up oxygen.  My lips were dry as toast.  Eyes were in flames and I was not feeling so good.  I made it down to the QT Gardens, but once there I found a bench and yep, just like old people do I PLANTED MY BOTTOM and did not move.

Finally the winds abated.  I used my rescue puffer!  stood up and put one foot in front of the other with out looking down where my feet were going...  (not a wonder I cannot to this day dance!  I watch dancing with the stars and think possibly I could learn where my feet should go?
NO, my hands and fingers can fly over the key board like magic and I never look at them... I seem to have the same habit with my feet BUT I forget they are poor little lambs that have lost their way.)
I start down the path and by damn I trip!  Sliding on my arse I finally come to a stop.
There had to be at least 10 Asians walking UP the path.
They stopped and helped me get up... talking in a language I do not understand.  One older lady pointed her finger at me and rattled off something in Chinese.  I nodded and said YES!  She smiled and said, "YES!"

I made it into the center.  The sun was high and lots of things were happening at the fair.  All kinds of art, preserves for sale, woven scarfs, jewelery, clay pipes, and MASSAGES.

I am posting the photos.  There were massage tables set up in the Greenspan.  Girls and Guys were massaging people... you can see the sheets blowing in the wind.  My first thought was:  Hell, pay the price and get your back massaged and centered.  Then I thought NOT.

I have been with the same woman who performs the "LAYING ON OF HANDS" for years.  Sonja will erase my aches and pains from the fall...  I believe in the power of TOUCH.
HUGS.  EMBRACES.  PHYSICAL TOUCH LIKE HAND SHAKES, CUDDLES and HEADS TOUCHING.  We all share something very invisible.  It is called AIR.  OXYGEN.  You can't see it but every thing is breathing this element in and out and sharing it!  (BTW, I have a marvelous masseuse in Alpine... she is amazing.)

After my trip to the grocery and wine shop I started home.
A young man was standing on the sidewalk.  He had no shirt on, a back pack and a day pack and a bed roll strapped to his back.  His shoulders had to be screaming for relief.  I suppose he "felt" my vibes looking at him because he turned toward me and in a very Scandinavian accent said:  " Can you tell me where the bus station is?"

I said,
"There is no bus station.  There is a bus stop where they collect you and take you places..."  He had the most gorgeous smile you have ever seen.  (It has to be the milk, cheese and eggs in Sweden, Norway, makes these genes so damn perfect.)

He asked, "Where is the thing you call STOP?"  "Follow me, we are a block away."
He hoisted his pack and we walked side by side to the stand.  I told him that I used to carry a load on my back like he was packing and could not ever wait till I found a place to drop some of the needed stuff in a safe place and start carrying my day pack.  He agreed.

The tops of his shoulders were somewhat bruised.  He asked me how to avoid that and the rubbing against the straps that can cause one to bleed.  I told him.
(I LEARNED THE HARD WAY YEARS AGO!  I ALSO LEARNED IT WITH BLISTERED FEET IN EXPENSIVE HIKING BOOTS.)   YOU MUST USE REAL LAMB'S WOOL.  NOTHING FAKE OR SYNTHETIC.  IT HAS TO BE LAMB'S WOOL.  TUCK IT UNDER THE STAPES OR VELCRO IT AND YOU WILL NOT SUFFER.  Yes your back and shoulders will ache, but that is the TENSION not the skin rubbing away!

He tried to thank me in a broken language but I got the message and the most amazing thing he was carring was a guitar.  It was a 12 string.  Very Vintage. (what is with the young people finding all these instruments from the 60's?  REINCARNATION?)

I told him I was a musician.  I have wandered all over the world making music.  I play keyboard.  PIANO.  They are not easy to carry.  He laughed and said,  "I will tell my mother when I text her.  She wanted me to be a pianist!  I will tell her the instrument is to heavy to carry on my back!"  I told him not to say that.  The piano is a voice like no other instrument it just is a bit more complex than a dulcimer, violin, flute, clarinet....  He thanked me and lined up for the next bus.  He was heading for Wanaka.  (no doubt thinking it was a cheaper place to stay than QT)  It used to be a heavenly place but today it is flash restaurants, bars and discos...  A gorgeous lake and mountains, but not very INEXPENSIVE.

My blessing of Synchronicity seems to take me into all kinds of places.  If, I had not fallen the timing would have been off so that I would not have met this young man and guide him to the bus.

If I had not tripped the Chinese people would not have helped me learn a new realm of kindness and I may have missed the massage tables at the fair.    Keep tuned in.