Email 11

Spring walk is rescheduled: May 12-May 31 COME WALK WITH ME.

3-24-03 IN THEIR PATH! What a winter. It has been so cold; I am just now getting back into a good training flow. This is the first week Ive been able to walk every day in a long time. Needless to say I am out of shape. I am sore, stiff, achy and bent as I crawl from bed to head out for my walk to the lake. It took four days to work my way back up to a three-mile-hour. Now it is beginning to feel good. I can almost remember what it feels like to walk two hours without stopping. (I havent done two hours yet, but next week Ill be ready). My poor old body is trying to stretch and catch up with serious strength and endurance training. Soon. Soon.

At last, tiny white snow drops bloom in the backyard. Six robins were busy at easy pecking this morning. Warm sun, crisp clear air, help hold at bay the terrible bombing and killing. I did not get to see any of the popular reality TV shows, it seemed bizarre to call a made up situation with lights, mikes and cameras reality. Now Ive decided those shows were all just training sessions for audience participation in the Iraq video war. I try not to watch, but the reality stays on my mind. Most of the time I struggle to pray instead of worry. I dont always remember, and some times Im lost in despair before I realize what is happening. Sadness takes, uses, too much of my time.

Being busy helps. I was happily swamped with invitations to speak, working most weekdays and every Saturday and Sunday all of February and well into March. Many of the schools, churches and other organizations had wonderful music and poets and storytellers on the program. What an honor to be in their presence. I spoke to students in the morning and Underground Railroad re-enactors were part of the Ursuline College evening session. Hawken School third graders wrote a play of time travel and a slave familys escape to freedom. The Union Congregational Church in Concord, Ohio had two strong performance poets, a teenage brother and sister praise dance, plus an acapella choir whose harmonies made me weep. And so many others, I am learning so much. There are so many good people doing good work. This IN THEIR PATH! journey is wonderful.

I invite everyone to come on the spring walk. Want to Come? Any where along the way or celebrate at the British Methodist Episcopal Church May 31st.

I had to push the date back. I start Monday May 12th and arrive in St. Catharines on Saturday May 31st. Ill be walking from Edinboro, Pa. through Erie, Chautauqua, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, across the Peace Bridge to Canada.

Even though that is only three weeks, I still plan to stop at a few schools and churches. I have some appointments, but if you have some contacts along the way please let me know. Perhaps I can schedule a visit.

Last week was brightened by a friend who arrived unannounced on my doorstep and brought with him a sunny spring day and a surprise gift, a small Doulton statue of Shakespeares Falstaff that had been given to him many years ago. Stephen remembered that my fathers name was Falstaff and he decided I should have it. With arms akimbo Falstaff now surveys from a top shelf here in my office. This journey has brought many surprises in the form of great new friends.

As always IN THEIR PATH! Joan Southgate

IN THEIR PATH! EMAIL
March 20, 2003

So the war has begun. And all that keeps singing in my brain is
Randalls poem:
After the Killing
We will kill,
said the blood-thirster,
and after the killing
there will be peace,

But after the killing
their sons
killed his sons,

and his sons
killed their sons

until

at last

a blood-thirster said,
We will kill
And after the killing
There will be peace.
..Dudley Randall

So I am sad and I wonder, who are we?
Love,
Joan E. IN THEIR PATH!