Costa Rica in South Padre

Dear Anthony,

After I got over the fact that I wasn't going to make it to Costa Rica the country, I started looking around realizing that I had found Costa Rica in South Texas.

Costa Rica means Rich Coast in Spanish. Well. South Padre Island is a very rich coast. Close enough to Mexico that you have the spanish blend of hospitality and warmth and still be in the states, the most prosperous country on earth.

South Padre is a semi-tropical place with wide open spaces and great beaches. The people are incredibly friendly and down-to-earth. Food and Beer is cheap.

The space in-between places is just the right amount to experience the great feeling of freedom. On one side of the road, you may see fields of sunflowers. On the other side, cows grazing or maybe an orange grove, depending on which back road you've decided to take.

You can even surf here. The water is clear and clean. On one side of this small island, you have the ocean. On the other, you have the bay filled with dolphins and an abundance of marine life.

The nightlife is incredible. Clubs, restaurants and bars are all over the place.

If you get tired of the island and its slow moving pace... 30mph.... you can head out to Bayview to meet the locals at Harley's Country Store and Honkey Tonk Bar. You'll be in the country relaxing in roughly 20mins.

Going South, Brownsville is the perfect jumping off point for travel in Mexico and Central America. It takes three days to drive from Brownsville to Guatemala.

I've been mentioning the term "island time" a lot in my writings. To put it simply... Never hurry, never worry, just make time to stop and smell the flowers. Words of Wisdom from a monk named George.

I love you,

Dad

Santa Claus Seen in Texas

Dear Anthony,

Of all places to find Santa Claus in the middle of summer... Brownsville Texas. He owns a bookstore called Middle Earth with Mrs. Claus, who turns out to be a little fairy woman.

Better yet, for only $100, they will tell you about your past, present and future. Don't fault them for charging for their service, how else will they afford all those gifts on Christmas.

Oil money... that's right.

Santa's real name is George. He comes from one of the most prominent families in Brownsville Texas. He decided that since he was blessed with some good family fortune that he would donate his time and resources to helping other people find their path.

And that's exactly what they have done....

The Middle Earth Bookstore is a product of "On the Path", Incorporated? Not-For-Profit?... Well who knows... but if you visit this store, you will find just about any book on eastern philosophy, disciplines, metaphysics, herbal remedies, aroma therapy, crop circles, outer space and just about anything else that is related to these topics.

Walking into this bookstore is like taking a step into another world. A zen palace perhaps. An oasis definitely. A step out of the hustle and bustle of the world outside into a calm, well centered establishment, appealling to your physical, mental and spiritual states of well-being.

People come from all over the state to visit here. Doctors, Lawyers, Explorers, and even leaders of religious movements. During my visit, I met one of the current leaders of the Hare Krishna movement. It was a very enlightening experience. As was my visit to ... Middle Earth.

Warmth and good vibes,

Dad

Stefanie

Dear Anthony,

Overall, the trip has been very good. Stefanie has a been a blessing.

Her family and friends thought she was crazy to fly out to Texas with no money in her pocket to meet a man she barely knew that could pick up at any time and disappear to god only knows where....

but despite all that, she showed no fear. I watched her smile more than she frowned.... I watched as she experienced what "island time" meant and how she begun to relax... then began to shine... For the first time, spreading her wings in flight.

These trips mean the world to me Son, literally... and I see and experience so many things that you only read about in books. I am glad that Stef came out to experience some of this with me.

As Jesus says, the meek will inherit the earth. Its a promise that has been proven over and over and over again as I take these trips. So many times have I found myself on the side of the road or alone on a bench with very little or no money at all... when I would have no choice but to be patient, humble and pray. And out of nowhere, the help that I needed at the exact moment that I needed it, would show up.

How do I return the favor, by showing up when someone needs me. That's how God works. He works through people. How do I begin my day? Lord, how can I best be of service today? Then rely on him to show me the way.

Son,

Sometimes people may come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be(possibly your roomate, neighbor, co-worker, long-lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger) but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles
you would never have realized your potential, strength,willpower or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of greatness, and sheer stupidity
all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people who you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you become.

Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

Make every day count!! Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make your life anything you wish. Create your own life then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

Warmth and love,

Dad

John Harley

Dear Anthony-

This man's name is John Nolan also known as John Harley from Harley's Country Store and Bar in Bayview, Texas. People thought he was crazy when he told them about his dream of building his store in the middle of nowhere. Most people knew John as a hellraiser in his younger days... today, they come to him for the milk. He's still somewhat of a hellraiser, slightly rough around the edges, but he's also a man with a big heart willing to lend a hand.

Him and his family were very good to me during my visit to Texas. I've also included a picture of me practising guitar during the off hours.

Warmth and good vibes,
Dad

Jim

Dear Anthony,

Here's a picture of the man I was telling you about... Jim. Tell me that this picture isn't a classic. Enjoy!!

Love you,
Dad

Texas Sunrise

Dear Anthony,

Flying my girlfriend out to Texas was one of the best decisions that I could have made.

It was a great opportunity to see how my travels would be different if I had someone special traveling with me.

The difference was noticeable on the very first day when I rented a Red Ford Mustang convertible to pick her up at the airport. (Something that I would rarely do for myself)

But the first impression can set the tone for the whole trip so it had to be good... Cruis'n with the top down and the sun shinin' ... we headed out to the island for a little R&R.

But these trips are not only about rest and relaxation... on our way out to the island... we ran into a man that I had met the night before at John Harley's Country Store and Bar. He was in the parking lot of this gas station. His truck broken down.

Riders on the storm.... I know what its like to be down and out. I also know what it feel like when someone comes along and lends a helping hand. Its a gift for both of us.

Stef and I spent the next week helping this man get mobile again. In return, he made us laugh... a lot. After the week was over, we had a friend for life. He was driving around in his new (used) van.... he found a new job after losing his old one for not having transportation... and we set him up with our friend George who needed help distributing his magazine around the valley.

Not only that, Jim was able to reach back and help his friend Leroy who had been sleeping on the beach for the past nine months. They were both working and productive again.

But that's how these people are in the Friendship state of Texas.. they really help each other out.

It went both ways though.... Jim is an older man who has lived a very interesting life. He has the wisdom of a man who has been a lot of places and has seen a lot of things. And even though his wisdom has come from making a lot of mistakes in his life ... he still manages to keep a positive outlook.

We would sit out at his dome, a huge egg-shaped structure, in the country for hours sharing stories of our experiences, people that we've met and all the things that we learned along the way. Of course, we shared some of the hard lessons and heartbreaks, but mostly we laughed, talked about our families and our dreams.

One of his favorite stories to tell was when he asked his father how he managed to stay married to his mother for so long... and his father told him .. "Son, no matter how broke I may have been... I always managed to take your momma out to dinner at least once a week". So he asked his dad... ."Is that the secret for staying married for so long?" And his dad looked at him and said, "Well, that's one of them."

I'll send a picture of Jim as soon as I can get them developed. He's one of the coolest people that I have ever met.

I don't know about you, but I'm really curious to see where this story goes. We should have some pictures developed tomorrow.

Warmth and good vibes,

Jason

South Padre Island, Texas

Dear Anthony,

After waiting several days in McAllen, Texas, unable to move forward, unwilling to go back…. I decided to venture off to have some fun even if it kills me. Something that I learned in Spain, make the best of any situation.

I was directed to South Padre Island, which must be the best kept secret on the list of great beaches. It’s amazing!! But I was still so caught up with what I was going to do to get into Mexico, that I was having a hard time just enjoying the moment. To make matters worse, I had just spent the last hour or more listening to the security guard, who happens to be Mexican, telling me about all the horror stories about travel in Mexico.

I decided that the best thing for me to do was to head back to McAllen and continue to wait for the title for my bike. Once I had that, I could continue on.

I was getting ready to pay my tab… when I noticed this woman staring at me(picture attached). She motioned with her finger for me to come dance with her... I turned around wondering if maybe she was talking to someone else...

I politely turned her down, then I stopped myself... What are you doing here? You said you wanted to have some fun, well here's your chance. Get out there.

Once again, she called me over and this time, I accepted.

After kicking it up on the dance floor with these two older women, they thought it would be a real kick to take me back to their beach side condo to show their friends what they had found. We stayed up half the night, playing music, dancing and drinking wine.

It was just what the doctor ordered. The following morning, I had five women standing over me talking about the whole encounter. When I got up, I cooked them all breakfast, took a few pictures and went back to the bay.

I spent another two days on the island contemplating my future move. Should I stay or should I go? Somewhere between asking that question, and getting the answer…

I was shot down again… the battery on my bike was dead. The prognosis was not good. I was having electrical problems.

I made a noble attempt to revive it; making it just far enough down this dirt road to arrive at Harley’s Country Store and Biker Bar. This place was so cool. Everyone was really nice.

They welcomed me into their little family… gave me a place to sleep… food to eat… work… and gave me more admiration then I deserve for driving that distance on a little 250CC cruiser…. “This boy has a cast iron ass”, they would say. Or “This boy has huevos grande”, which means big balls. If they only knew how I really felt inside.

All their love made me feel a whole lot better about my present situation. I stuck around long enough for their Sunday barbecue then hit the road determined to make it to Costa Rica.

I had my bike checked over at the Harley Dealership on the way back to McAllen. They couldn't find anything wrong with my bike. So I got the rest of my things from my hotel. I finally had the paperwork that I needed and I got insurance for my bike. Things started coming together again.

I met three older Mexicans bikers heading to Veracruz the following day, which is roughly 800 miles south on the Emerald Coast. The wind was at my back and I was moving forward once again.

Then I had a moment to think….

I decided that this trip has been really great so far, but it would be so much better if I had someone to enjoy it with. So I called my girlfriend Stefanie… asked her if she wanted to come meet me out here in Texas. She was on the plane two days later.

I thanked the three bikers for their offer to escort me into Mexico, but I’m sticking around. One of them gave me a business card and a standing offer for us to visit their restaurant in Veracruz when we pass through. His friend replied in Spanish, “the food’s not that good, but at least it’s free”. We all laughed. I took their picture and they left.

Two days later, I was waiting at the airport in a 2004 Red Ford Mustang convertible. It was a picture perfect reunion. Hugs and Kisses and plenty of sunshine. When we got back to Harley’s, there were a dozen or so people anxiously waiting for Stefanie’s arrival after hearing so much about her.

We’ve been floating on air from the warmth of these people who have given us so much assistance, acceptance, and love. We’ve been offered numerous jobs, places to live, been put up in very nice hotels the past three days… we were given money, taken to dinner, our drinks taken care of… and countless other small, significant acts of generosity as all the doors have been flung open for us.

We have also been offered a partnership opportunity by a rather eccentric couple with the means, facility and vision of opening a coffee shop… which is also a dream of Stefanie’s. Ironically, this wasn’t the only offer that fell into our laps yesterday. A long white hair, named Bob, also has a coffee shop and needs help getting it going. He’s an importer of coffee beans from Cental America…

things seem to be falling into place rather quickly.

I could go on and on, but I know time is precious and this blog is getting long.

Costa Rica is still the destination, but we’re planning to hold up here for awhile and take in all this place has to offer. I love you and hope that this blog finds you well and brings you some peace.

Leap and the net will appear.

Dad

Motorcycle Trek Continued

Dear Anthony,

I am currently in the town of McAllen, Texas which is situated along the border of Mexico.

I have been delayed for almost three days now...

Faith may move mountains son, but what it doesn't do is budge the border guards from their position that I need the proper documentation to bring my motorcycle into Mexico.

I breezed through the border only to be stopped sixteen miles in-country and turned around. I do fall back on my belief that things happen for a reason. I am using this delay as a time of rest and further preparation.

I am guided by my spirit of adventure, curiosity and my love of the Latin cultures. My desire for life's passions and a romantic life sometimes gets the best of me... and my imperial nature, which I neither excuse or defend, has taken me along this road less traveled.

I don't think it would be fair if I did not honestly and openly tell you that this road has been physically and mentally straining. I do not claim to live a carefree life. I embark on this trip with all the voices of reason and the fear of regret - unable to drive fast enough to escape them - echoing in my mind. This is part of the life that I live. The other part, is the still small, but growing voice within myself that encourages me forward. Urging me to follow my heart. And the negotiation begins.

We are all on the same journey in life, even if our paths look somewhat different. We are all in the pursuit of happiness in whatever form it may come. I will, however, unveil my pride, my fears and my silent prayers and tell you that I hope this trip, though spontaneous, produces something that we can both benefit from...

Warmth and good vibes,

Dad

Texas

Dear Anthony,

Texas has been great. After leaving Breau Bridge, I drove straight into the night stopping at a Howard Johnson near Lake Charles, Louisiana. I woke up, got myself a few cups of coffee, and hit the road. Before I left the hotel, I got myself centered by writing in my journal and reading a few poems by Kahlil Gibran. Today, he spoke to me on Beauty...

Where shall you seek beauty, and how shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide? And how shall you speak of her except she be the weaver of your speech?

The aggrieved and the injured say, "Beauty is kind and gentle. Like a young mother half-shy of her own glory she walks among us."

And the passionate say, "Nay, beauty is a thing of might and dread. Like the tempest she shakes the earth beneath us and the sky above us."

The tired and the weary say, "beauty is of soft whisperings. She speaks in our spirit. Her voice yields to our silences like a faint light that quivers in fear of the shadow."

But the restless say, "We have heard her shouting among the mountains, and with her cries came the sound of hoofs, and the beating of wings and the roaring of lions."

At night the watchmen of the city say, "Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east."

And at noontide the toilers and the wayfarers say, "we have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset."

In winter say the snow-bound, "She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills." And in the summer heat the reapers say, "We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair."

All these things have you said of beauty. Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied, And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.

It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, but rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.

It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear, but rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.

It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw, but rather a garden forever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.

Beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
But you are life and you are the veil.

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
But you are eternity and you are the mirror.

I decided that this would be a nice piece to share with someone, so before I left the hotel.... I gave the book to the hotel clerk to read...

She opened right up. We had a nice conversation and she invited me to call her and her husband when I pass back through and they would show me around the indian reservation.

On so I went,

I made it to Houston by mid-afternoon and stopped at the Fountains in Sugarland. I saw a woman sitting by herself on the outside patio of this restaurant. I asked if I could join her and the next thing I know, ten more people showed up, including her husband, and we were having a party. One of the older men sitting at the table, had done a similar trip as me in the '70's. Treking his way through Mexico to Acalpulco.

This was a momentary stop along the way. A temporary solution to my lonliness. This is a lonely road sometimes. I take the moments as they come. I appreciate the togetherness for as long as it lasts and look forward to the next encounter with humankind. And the space in-between, I simply reflect on the bright moments and the brighter moments yet to come.

And as quickly as my company came, they also left...

I hit the road and drove until I couldn't drive any more... I rented a hotel room and ate some breakfast. I was roughly two hours away from Rockport Texas where I would rendevous with my friend Craig Webb's mother, just in time for Mother's Day.

It was a nice visit at an opportune moment. I had met her once before when Craig and I visited New Mexico together. What a great trip that was!! I'll have to tell you about it sometime.

The visit was short and sweet. She showed me around this little town which was rated one of the top ten best retirement places in the United States. On Sunday, she took me to her Church and everyone welcomed me with open arms. It was really nice and I appreciated the love.

I took down a few email addresses of people that wanted to stay in touch and then I left the next day when the weather cleared.

I passed the city of Corpus Cristi and kept going. Not much to say about Corpus except the oil money runs deep... Halliburton owns an offshore oil rig worth about 1.3 Trillion dollars and they had it in for repairs. 1.3 Trillion dollars... can you believe it?

I made it to the Mexican border before sundown and breezed right through, stopping only to pay the toll. It was like the wild wild west in the town of Reynosa. And I was having a hard time finding the main road heading south.

I finally did and I was on my way only to be stopped abruptly at a guard post sixteen miles in-country. They wanted to see my motorcycle permit, which I didn't have. They turned me around and I reluctantly headed back to the States.

This may be as far as I am going to get. We'll see.

Warmth and love,

Dad

Motorcycle Trek from Fort Lauderdale to Costa Rica

Dear Anthony,

Today is Wednesday May 5th and I have been on the road now for two full days. I am riding my motorcycle from Fort Lauderdale to Costa Rica. For what reason? I want to see how far I can go.

So far, I've driven 1100 miles. I am outside the town of Lafayette, LA - 240 Mi away from the Texas line.

Son, I have seen some beautiful country on my journey through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. And, the people have been really friendly.

My bike broke down twice already. The first time the chain came off. The second time it snapped off. Fortunately, God was looking out for me both times because it happened while making slow turns... if it would have happened while I was driving at 70 mph ... I would have been thrown from my bike.

The second time, a bicyclist, driving by at the time, helped me lift my bike out of the road. It was completely locked up and I couldn't move it alone. Then, not more than a minute later, two bikers stopped to help me.

Not wanting to leave me stranded, they agreed to come back with a motorcycle trailer to help me haul my bike to Tallahassee to a repair shop. The two men turned out to be state cops working for ol' Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida.

They dropped my bike off and took me to a motel nearby where I spent the night. The next morning, I started walking to the repair shop when a man on a crotch rocket pulled over and asked if I needed a ride. He saw that I was holding my helmet and assumed that I had just broken down. He said, "I know... I'm not too excited about it either ... but we need to stick together out here." I couldn't have said it better.

My bike was fixed in a relative jiffy and I was back on the road again.. Hauling ass across the state of Florida to Panama City. Coincidently, the road that the repair shop was on .... was the right road that I needed to be on to get to Panama City. Awesome!!

It was a beautiful sunny day as they all pretty much have been. I stopped in a couple of shops along the way and just moseyed along in no particular hurry. I stopped at this little restaurant in the town of Bristol called "Country Cooking" where I met these two old timers. Next thing I know, we're comparing military stories and indian wrestling in the middle of the restaurant. Funny!

One of the men, his name was Mr. T Jacobs who has been in this town his whole life... probably 60+ years. He told me that he lived on a lake called Lake Mystic... its one of my dreams to live on a lake one day so I had to see it. He agreed to take me there and off we went.

The Lake was absolutely breathtaking...not the biggest lake that I have ever seen, but very beautiful as lakes go. And it was filled with fish! The house that caught my eye was the largest house on the far bank. A large home with a dock and an underground wing. That's right...a whole seperate house existed underground and that's where the father lived who had given the main house to his daughter. Pretty cool!

We sat on his dock for about an hour, feeding the fish little pieces of bread and peanut butter. It started to get late and we headed back to town, but on the way...

He took me to this secret little pond on the edge of town where he is planning to make a park. Then he showed me available real estate around the lake... I began to wonder if maybe he was a secret real estate agent or something. So anyway, he took me back to the restaurant... we exchanged information and parted ways.

The owner of the restaurant, Ms. E made me some down home country cooking- fried chicken, ocra, collard greens, rice, meat loaf and pancakes and a large glass of lemonade. It was the best meal that I had had since hitting the road. On her wall was a sign that I'll never forget because it so aptly captured this moment in time.... "This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad."

I was so glad that I didn't want to leave. But I have a goal and this keeps me moving.

When I arrived at Panama City... I stopped at the first interesting place I could find... Coyote Ugly Saloon. Here I met the brothers from Ohio. I don't even recall their names to be honest with you. But they were awesome. We had a lot of fun watching the girls dance on the bar and going a little bit wild, but it was getting late and I needed to figure out where I was going to lay my head.

They insisted that I spend the night at their hotel. Free of charge. And off we went, the "midnight ride to Crestview" which is 30 or so miles west of Panama City. It was very cold and foggy. I wasn't sure if I would make it the whole way on my bike. I was freezing... then the guy kept making U-Turns... So you can imagine what was going through my mind.

Then their van overheated. This was not going well. We pulled into a gas station to get water to cool down the engine. A man comes walking over, confident that he can help. He has one of the brothers get inside the van and keep the engine revved, rotating the cold water into the engine. It works and we're back on the road.

When we got back to the hotel, I was ice cold and one of the brothers was passed out in the van where his brother left him to sleep it off. Cool.. this means I get a bed and a good night's sleep.

The following morning, they left really early to go to work, but thankfully, they let me sleep in. I left before I even had a chance to say goodbye... but I did leave my information and a thank you note.

On the road again....

By this time, I had 700 miles under my belt. I figured another 200+ and I would be in New Orleans. I passed through Mobile, AL and ended up in New Orleans by nightfall.

New Orleans reminded me of Philadelphia a little bit... really dirty on the outside. If you're looking to let it all hang loose, I highly recommend New Orleans, but I must have caught it at a bad time. I was bored. I had a few conversations with some people, but nothing to write home about. I pulled my bike and my gear out of the garage and headed out...Happy that I saw it and glad to leave.

Now, I'm only a few hours from Texas in the town of Breau Bridge, the crawfish capital of the world. Tomorrow, they start their annual Crawfish festival. Its suppose to be a really good time... but I don't think that I'll stay. Money goes quick in the states and I don't have much time.

I admit that I know there's a chance that I won't make it to Costa Rica... but right before I left, Stef, my girlfriend, gave me a journal. On the cover of the journal was written,
"You will never know how far one can go, unless you risk going too far". That solidified my decision to leave.

I seriously thought about turning back the second time my chain snapped. Then I listened to a message that my father had left on my answering machine two weeks prior, before he knew I was planning to do this. On the message, he told me that he was proud that I was his son. And though I don't understand why life has taken me down the road that it has, to never give up. He also said, though I may stumble and fall, that its the man that finds it within himself to get up and continue on, will be the man who will finally make that turn and a wondrous award will fall out in front of me, a wonder to behold. And then I'll know why life took me the way that it did.

So I continue on, not completely understanding why.

I will leave you with this... a piece from Kahlil Gibran that has given me a sense of peace on my journey...

And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship.
And the prophet replied, saying:
Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your field which you sow with love
and reap with thanksgiving.

And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger,
and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not
the "nay" in your own mind,
nor do you withhold the "ay".

And when he is silent your heart ceases
not to listen to his heart;

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts,
all desires, all expectations are born and
shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be
clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the
climber is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship save
the deepening of the spirit.

For love that seeks anything but the disclosure
of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth;
and only the unprofitable is caught.

So let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide,
let him know your flood also.

For what is your friend that you should
seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not
your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there
be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart
finds its morning and is refreshed.


Warmth and good vibes,

Dad

Peace by Lao Tze

If you offer music and food
Strangers may stop with you;
But if you accord with the Way
All the people of the world will keep you
In safety, health, community, and peace.

The Way lacks art and flavour;
It can neither be seen nor heard,
But its benefit cannot be exhausted.