Great March for Climate Action: In New Mexico
*May 25, Sunday, *
On Sunday, May 25, Bob and I had breakfast at the B&B. There were 10 around
the table. We chose the Hot Oats Brule for the 1st course, and the Frittata
for the 2nd. Bob, a retired Presbyterian minister, went to the local
Presbyterian Church. He indicated that he would make a little presentation
there about the March. Sarah took me to the repair shop and I brought the
Geartruck back to the campsite. The spark plugs were replaced. We’re going
to wait ‘til Colorado Springs to get the carburetor replaced.
In the afternoon I went to the Temple for lunch. There was an announcement
indicating we were scheduled for a Garden Work at 2pm. At 1:45 it began to
rain so it was canceled. Later on I went to a Coffee Shop that was
sponsoring a Meet-and-Greet event. I met Morgan and as we exchanged our
personal background information, we discovered we had a good deal in
common—using managed grazing; protecting and recovering the prairie;
singing. I suggested that he would find the March interesting and should
join us. He went and got his wife to join us. He suggested to her that he
go on the March and asked if she would be able to mind his business
responsibilities. She said “Yes.” He asked about my age. I told him that I
was the oldest Marcher and was only 76. He indicated that he was aging and
showed me the gray hair on his chest. I immediately sang *Yesterday*! They
were both amused. Morgan asked what I found most difficult about the March.
I had an answer for him.
1) I am one of 2 among the 35 (+or-) Marchers that is married. The
youngest group is 18-25. It seems that the rest are a group that have found
difficulty establishing a lasting relationship with a partner. That sets me
apart.
2) Everyone has a cell phone. So people are multi-tasking all the time.
It’s difficult to focus attention on one issue. Morgan has done some
graduate work in psychology and commented that multi-tasking is negative
behavior. Text messages are sent to inform us about the daily Route. I
can’t receive Text messages, and I turn my cell phone off during the day.
Sometimes a limited number of copies of the next day’s route are printed
out.
3) There are a lot of Marchers that are our children’s age or younger.
I’m the oldest on the March.
4) The group of musicians that promote singing enjoy singing *This Land* *Is
Your Land*. I won’t sing it until we have created at least one verse that
describes how we Anglo-Saxons have dispossessed the Native Americans.
5) When the information about camp schedule and events is announced I
fail to hear the details. There is very little info printed out so we don’t
have a chance to digest the deliberations we’ve made at camp meetings.
I appreciated Morgan’s question. It gave us an opportunity to have a
serious conversation. Perhaps he will join us on the March. After the
Meet-and-Greet event some were shuttled to a restaurant that was providing
an evening meal. I chose to return to the B&B. I took a bath and packed up
my equipment. Prudy, the B&B host, had washed and dried our laundry. I
told her that I also had a delightful night’s sleep. I think it sprinkled
periodically through the night.
--
Peace, David
--
Peace, David
