Life, Death and Kalamazoo

I’m in Battle Creek Michigan on my way through Chicago and up to Milwaukee. I left New Hampshire on Thursday after 4 days at home and paying tribute to the life of Amanda Ward. Please check out www.amandaforever.com and help celebrate her life, and send love to Derek and both of their families as they have lost a special person who made everybody smile. Though it was sad, intense and heart wrenching the overall experience was one of celebration and growth. Over 100 plants, trees and flowers were planted in a memorial garden that was built in 2 days by family and friends, over 200 people came and paid respects, tears and hope. I have felt Amanda’s presence constantly this past week and feel fortunate that I was able to know her and be of support to my friend Derek. He has been a rock and an inspiration as he continues to practice and follow his path of peace, love and compassion. I have grown closer to my friends and made new friends, I have witnessed what love can accomplish in the hardest of times and how amazing a hug can feel from a complete stranger. When I pass this life I request to have the same experience as Amanda, a celebration and a party!!

My departure and trip from MI to NH was smooth. I had the opportunity to spend time with Mary Savoie the Mom of my friend Ned and Bill and 6 other children. She gave me amazing tour of the greater Detroit area and brought me to dinner at the Royal Oak Grille in Royal Oaks. We shared stories about Ned, the secret of happiness, Napoleon Hill, her 19 grandchildren, her beloved Detroit Tigers and gardening one of her passions! It was an amazing evening and I could tell the host was anxious to get our table back in rotation as we had been there for hours. We went back watched a couple of innings of the Tigers game against Seattle and I spent my first night indoors in months in Mary’s guest room and though I missed my bunk I slept like a champ!

My return trip was not so smooth. I was due to arrive in Detroit at 10pm; I arrived at 2:30am. I posted up in the airport and Mary fetched me at 6 am. We went to Monty’s for breakfast and I was anxious to get back in my Astro. I made it about 20 minutes down the road when I was falling asleep so I pulled off in Livonia and jumped in my bunk in the parking lot of Ruby Tuesdays (they are open on Thursdays as well). When I awoke after my 3 hour nap I could not locate my phone so I went through my van like a Canadian Boarder Patrol office to know avail. So I drove back to Mary’s and found it. I got back on the road and drove down rt. 94 to Kalamazoo about 2 ½ hours! Kalamazoo is a great little city with an amazing library and great common.

I checked my email and realized that some person found my backpack lying on the pavement in the parking lot of Ruby Tuesdays. He went through my back and found my passport, and then he found a card with Amanda’s website on it. He sent a message to the site which was picked up by Ned in the world headquarters of Harborlight Strategic Marketing; Ned forwarded the message to me. I could see Amanda watching out for me and calling me a dumbass at the same time. So I turned around and drove back to Ann Arbor and waited to hear from him, where I promptly locked my keys in my van, I purchased a glass of lemonade (.25) and a coat hanger (.75) from two 8 yr old girls who looked at me with confusion and sympathy, but obliged my demands for a metal hanger. Ann Arbor was hosting a massive Art Festival so I aimlessly wondered around in a blank state, neither mad nor happy, neither frustrated or focused, just a bit numb and trying to be in the moment.

About 9pm I got a call from Nathan he found my pack and lived about 30 minutes away in Dearborn. So I was on my way. I pulled up into a nice little neighborhood and was greeted by Nathan who for the day was playing private detective trying to track down a guy from New Hampshire, with a map of Mt. Everest and a Thich Nat Hahn book and some running shows in a backpack in a parking lot of a chain restaurant in the suburbs of Detroit. We shared our stories from the day and then Nathan invited me in for some tea. I met his lovely wife Jen and his son Luka and 3 month old baby Kaz. 3 hours later at 1 am they finally nudged me out the door for fear that I was setting my sites on the spare bedroom for a long term stay. We talked about family, The Flaming Lips, Buddhism, hiking and being a stay at home mom. I felt like I had known them all my life, after so much weariness they were a beacon of light, they gave me two apples, a peach and a nectarine which hey have delivered every Tuesday from, who Luka calls, the “Veggie Man” a modern day super hero in his eyes!

Nathan carried my bag that had brought us together to my van we hugged like brothers and I headed west down Williams Ave. with a smile and organic fruit!