a walk coast to caost

[pieter pannevis]

Dear all,

Some time ago I mentioned to you a remarkable “pilgrimage” on the main land
of the USA !
A former pilgrim to Santiago de Compostella decided “to walk for peace”,
putting her own preferences in her backyard and walks from Jacksonville to
San Diego.
Fortunately some members of the groups responded to the call and will walk
or/and support her in a way.

Thank you for that !
If anyone on that track is willing to support or knows family or  relatives
to lighten this task for her it would be a fine thing worth the real
pilgrims spirit.
Just recently I asked Gloria to state what she was up to and she replied
with the following letter to me which I kindly forward to you all

You can reach Gloria at: galkozerayahoo.co.uk <mailto:galkozerayahoo.co.uk>
One of our members wrote to me:
“What Faith to place yourself in the hands of God that way!”

if you’re willing and able to help in any way, please contact her !

pieter

Message from Gloria:


Its less than 10 days for me to begin my coast to coast 2,400 mile walk
(18th of September) from Jacksonville Florida to San Diego California.

I have received very good advise of the do's and not to do's of a woman
walking alone on the road - Which I am taking into consideration.

I think what I found the most difficult advise to take in was from my friend
David Dunn, who advised I not take a backpack, sleeping bag, change of
clothing, or any trivial items that might weight me down or make me a
target. "Travel as light as possible-Be safety smart," he said. Yep, I
intend to be safety smart.  What's that?  A few Band-Aids (plasters)
flashlight and a mobile? Got them and will do!

Have I trained?  No.  I am not making excuses-Or, maybe I am.  I have,
outside of already needing to shed a few pounds, gained an additional 28 -
which may start me out a bit slow in the beginning! Extra weight gain - And,
49 years of age?  Why am I doing this?

 Outside of  a dream that I was asked to walk - I've asked myself that
question every night before I go to bed.   The answer I give myself; is that
its the right thing to do.

Although, these past few days I have been emotionally drained.  My brother
is nearing the end of his life.  Last night family gathered to pay their
last respects and today as I write this, the nurse is advising the caretaker
on what to do should he pass within the next few hours.
The likelihood of my starting this journey either after his funeral or while
they are holding his wake and funeral is pretty high.  In other words,  I
will be mourning - and hiking.  Yes, I will be mourning my brother losing
his life at such a young age.

But I will also be mourning the deaths of the children in Russia - The 1,000
American soldiers who have died in Iraq -  the Iraqi civilians -  And ALL
the unnecessary loss of life.

"Life"...what a simple word.  But everyone has such a difficult time
describing what it really means to them.  When one's life is threatened
suddenly all the things that you thought really mattered suddenly doesn't
anymore. And, all that matters is LIFE and that you hang on to it.

My brother asked me once for advise on how he could deal with letting go of
his.  I told him "Look at this way, the moment we are born, we begin to die.
The trick is to learn to LIVE while you are dying while maintaining your
human dignity while you "are" alive."

This walk is not a  whim or something that I fancied to do. I am doing this
pilgrimage because I believe that everyone should have the power to choose
how they let go of their precious gift of life!   I know my brother didn't
have a choice but he did, at the end, have "quality" in his.

Why shouldn't everyone have the same - Whilst maintaining their human
dignity?

"Peace"  is life!   I can't understand why its so hard for those to
understand.  I can't  understand how anyone would want to dismiss this walk
as  political or religious and not see the obvious..  Maybe my motivation is
spiritual but isn't common emotions; like "love" spiritual?    Doesn't
everyone seek "love"?
Maybe we don't have to agree or like each other but we can  work and live
towards one common goal - peace and life with human dignity.


-gloria martinez alcozer