July 10, 2004 (Early AM) - Bob
Boston, MA
Here in Newton -- it’s beautiful. So many amazing adventures and people. So much love. I’m a bit overwhelmed this morning as I think back on last night. To be around a feeling, an atmosphere, an everything like that was truly amazing. Now I’m here. Now it’s today. I breathe, I feel, it’s all good.
I do have concerns about what will be for this trip. So much to do -- so many plans to push forward and all. I will continue doing my best to remain conscious, to work hard, to remain in my center so that I might... I might continue to be blessed as I have been to this point.
I’m learning about gracious acceptance and at the same time about humility and humanity. I knew this before I started: the people are what’s important. The ball parks, vaunted and magnificent as they are, are but so much brick, steel and concrete. They can only do the very limited thing they are built to do, regardless of their form. It is the structure, content and passion of the people within that truly shape the experience.
There are people who “get it” and those who don’t. When people get it, they are warm, excited and understanding of the gift of giving as well as receiving (and the gift of giving by graciously receiving). And don’t misunderstand me here -- I’m not saying I’m one who gives completely blindly -- for within that is a trap of it’s own -- one of eternal vacuousness and a fearful push toward martyrdom if one expected the giving to all be received in a certain way.
Cautious optimism, for as much as it seems like an oxymoron, is a way to observe what is, assess, and decide how to open my heart (how and/or to what degree). We all want to live happily.
July 10, 2004 - Dad
Toronto, ONT
We are up at 7:30 a.m. and hope to be on the road by 9 a.m. It is a long day in the car, about 500 miles from Boston to Toronto.
We make a few extra stops to stretch our legs. When we arrive at Niagara Falls on a beautiful summer afternoon, it is so crowded that there is no place to park within miles. Paulette and I have seen the Falls twice before, so we drop the “kids” off and circle the area for about a half hour then pick them up again.
We arrive at our dear friend’s, the Payzants, at about 9:45 p.m. They live about twenty minutes north of Toronto. It is great to see Linda and Doug again. Before the evening is over, Doug and I have had more than our share of red wine and are singing along with Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s “Pancho and Lefty” until 2 a.m.
July 10, 2004 - Mom
Toronto, ONT
It’s always the greatest feeling to see Dougy and Linda. They are so warm and welcoming. They’re always so happy to see us and we’re so happy to see them. The hot tub was on. Dougy comes out with his big glass of red wine. I just love that he loves Dan so much. It’s so good to see them together.
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