I wear orange today to call for an end to violence against women and girls.
I will walk 22,000 steps today to support the efforts of CongoSwim to bring an end to sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
I invite you to make a financial gift to support this effort.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Current Events, Exercise
I have posted before about my upcoming participation in CongoSwim, a unique and inspiring collective action which will culminate on August 25th to send a WAVE of LOVE to women and youth groups working for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With apologies to my father (he taught me to swim), I will not swim. But I will walk – 1,000 steps for each mile across Lake Tahoe for a total of 22,000 steps – and I will pray.
You can support me by making a tax-deductible donation in my name.
Most of us directly benefit daily from the minerals mined in Congo as they are essential to the functioning of our laptops, phones, cars and many other products. CongoSwim is one way we can support work to end the suffering millions of families are enduring in the international scramble for Congo’s minerals. CongoSwim takes place on an Orange Day, a call to action from the United Nations campaign to end violence against women and girls. The specific focus for August 25 is sexual violence in conflict.
If the fundraising effort goes well, up to sixty different Congolese community groups doing vital work, often with extremely limited resources, will be able to receive a grant from Global Fund for Women and Friends of the Congo. The benefiting groups focus on initiatives to end violence against women and girls, human rights education and advocacy, support to women run businesses, increased girls’ education, youth leadership development and services for people living with HIV/AIDS. Some of the funds raised also will also benefit the USA Swimming Foundation’s mission of saving lives and building champions-in the pool and in life.
One of the main requests from Congolese youth and women leaders is that we urge our government to demonstrate the political will to support peace and sustainable development in Congo. Millions of people have died, endured tremendous violence and/or been displaced from their homes as a result of the conflict in eastern Congo. UNHCR reported 13,000 people arriving in one day alone to a single refugee camp after attacks in July. CongoSwim has developed a simple Advocacy Action for peace.
In support of my participation, please
I am proud take part in CongoSwim because it provides us all the opportunity to address the violation of women’s rights. I am honored to take part with an amazing community, the youngest is age 3 and the oldest is 92. Participants include Coco Ramazani, a Congolese survivor of extreme violence who now lives in the US and is speaking out with CongoSwim.
Thank you in advance for supporting this effort.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Current Events, Exercise, Human Rights, United Nations
I am in Cleveland Heights for a week of vacation with Tricia. Eric is here; Sean will be in town for a few days as well.
My walking has involved the streets of Cleveland Heights. Often this takes me places where I used to walk with Charley.
I walk. I remember. And I smile.
See you along the Trail.
Filed under Cleveland Heights, Exercise, Family
My friend Laura Mariko Cheifetz has recently written twice about communities of accountability. As she notes:
I could operate all by myself as an individual, but that would be a lie. I am who I am because of the communities that form(ed) me and support(ed) me.
Laura notes that in some instances, she reports to communities of accountability. In other cases, while that word might be too strong, she still exist in, and nurtures, relationship with that community.
After reflecting on some of the communities to which she is accountable, Laura poses the question:
What are your communities of accountability? Your church? Your neighborhood? How do you stay accountable to them?
I would name a number of such communities in my life. The list that follows is not necessarily in order of importance. It is the communities in the order that they occur to me – bearing in mind that I am on a new allergy medication at the moment. I am accountable to:
How do I stay accountable? In different ways with different groups at different times. Sometimes accountability comes in filling in forms and making reports. Sometimes accountability comes through being together and engaging in conversation. Sometimes accountability comes from recalling lessons taught and values shared. Sometimes accountability comes in remembering – allowing people’s faces and voices to fill my mind when we are far apart.
Two areas for further work come to me as I reflect on communities of accountability:
I have much to ponder. And I am grateful to Laura for opening this area of thought for me.
But before I close, I want to give a shout-out to a community of accountability that means a great deal to me at the moment. About two months ago, I decided to make another effort at self-care. I have made some remarkable progress although a long, long, long way remains to go. The effort combines exercise (walking at the moment) and reducing calories. I regularly bore Facebook with the information about my exercise for each day. That simple act somehow helps hold me accountable. Friends comment from time to time – different friends each time. Their feedback matters; but it is the posting that makes the difference.
I have also created a community of accountability – pulling together a number of friends and family who have expressed concern for my health – and who have voiced support for my efforts. This group receives weekly and monthly updates on my progress in terms of eating and exercise and weight loss and blood sugar control.
Some individuals have asked to be part of the group. Others I have drafted. I blind copy the group with the emails so they do not necessarily know who else is a member.
Each report receives a few responses – no one responds all the time – everyone responds once in a while. I deeply appreciate the responses. But even more deeply, I appreciate that the group members are willing to receive my updates.
To the members of this accountability group – to my family and friends – I say thank you. With your support, I have made a great start. The journey continues.
See you along the Trail.
It started as a walk.
It became a quest.
It ended in success.
I preached this morning at the United Presbyterian Church of Ozone Park. Upon my return to the Shire near the Hudson, I faced a decision about what to do with the afternoon. Several options lay before me: work, a nap, or a walk in Central Park, my second favorite place, after the Shire, in New York.
My original thought was to visit the park, but I felt tired and sluggish so I opted for the nap. Except, I could not fall asleep. I decided to go with Plan A.
I entered the park at the Frederick Douglass Circle gate and made my way across to Harlem Meer. Then I turned south. I decided I would walk down to see Strawberry Fields before I exited. I watched an inning of softball and then an inning of baseball. The more I walked, the better I felt.
After about two hours, I looked at my pedometer and noticed that I had topped 16,000 steps for the day. I started at about 6,000 when I arrived at the park. I pondered for a few moments and realized that I could well top 20,000 steps for the day.
And the walk morphed into a quest.
And shortly after I left Central Park, the pedometer topped 20,000. It stands at 21,412; I may take a few more steps before the night ends. Success.
See you along the Trail.
While walking in Central Park today, I had a Lord of the Rings moment. Of a sort. There are two. They are types of towers.
See you along the Trail.
Ate well – seven days
30+ minutes of exercise – seven days
Weekly steps: 87,317
Weight change: 3 pounds lost
It’s a start.
See you along the Trail.
Today the Trail led to Louisville. Again. At least that was the plan. It may still happen.
I arrived at LaGuardia – perhaps my least favorite place in New York – at around 4:30 for a 6:00 flight to Washington. There I would connect with a flight to Louisville.
Shortly after I arrived in Terminal C, the attendants announced that the 5:00 flight would be delayed. About 5:15, they announced that the 6:00 flight, my flight, would be delayed. I jumped into the line to check connections because I did not have much time in Washington.
Shortly after I got in line, they announced that my flight would be further delayed. Then came the news that they had cancelled the 5:00 flight. Oddly enough no one cheered this announcement.
When I reached the counter, Ricardo had bad news and good news and bad news for me. I would miss my connection. He could book me on another flight – a direct flight on another airline. It would not leave until 8:45. I took the flight.
Ricardo sent me around the corner to the other airline’s help desk. There I learned that the plane would depart from a gate in Terminal D.
Having almost three hours I asked if I could walk to the new gate. Told that I could, I did.
And I discovered the bridge between the terminals. And I realized that it made, if not a perfect, at least a very good place to walk and an opportunity to keep up my efforts at self-care.
In the spirit of making Irish whiskey when life gives one barley, I have spent an hour walking on the bridge. And since my flight is now delayed until 10:00, I may walk some more.
See you along the Trail.
I am on the road. Travel invariably plays havoc with any effort at self-care. My presentations for tomorrow being complete, this seems a moment to take stock of the past two days.
Minus – I have not reached my goal of 10,000 steps on either day.
Minus – I have not been able to walk for 30 minutes either day.
Minus – I have eaten a bit too much this evening.
Plus – I did not over eat on the trip from New York to Washington, DC. That almost never happens. Airport and train stations transform me into some form of over-sized locust that eats everything in sight.
Plus – Yesterday I ate well. Today I came close.
Plus – I have reflected on how I did rather than just letting it happen.
Plus – I have recorded my numbers even when they were not what I wanted. Usually when I fail to walk or eat too much or my blood sugar is too high, I don’t make a note of it. Denial means it did not happen, perhaps?
I am on the road. Travel invariably plays havoc with any effort at self-care. My presentations for tomorrow being complete, this seems a moment to take stock of the past two days.
Minus – I have not reached my goal 0f 10,000 steps on either day.
Minus – I have not been able to walk for 30 minutes either day.
Minus – I have eaten a bit too much this evening.
Plus – I did not over eat on the trip from New York to Washington, DC. That almost never happens. Airport and train stations transform me into some form of over-sized locust that eats everything in sight.
Plus – Yesterday I ate well. Today I came close.
Plus – I have reflected on how I did rather than just letting it happen.
Plus – I have recorded my numbers even when they were not what I wanted them to be. Usually when I fail to walk or eat too much or my blood sugar is too high, I don’t make a note of it. Denial means it did not happen, perhaps?
See you along the Trail.
To everything there is a season.
I have entered a season where my heart hangs heavy and my soul aches for friends who face serious health issues.
In an exchange with one friend, I received the advice, or the challenge, “You better stay healthy.”
I appreciate the sentiment but the reality, as my friend knows, is that I need to get healthy.
For almost two days now, I have tried. I ate well yesterday. I walked on the treadmill last night. I installed a number of health apps to measure food intake, exercise, weight, and other bodily functions, I ate well today.
As I type, I recognize the privileges that I carry: access to good food, access to a gym, access to a smart phone and a computer, financial resources to pay for them, freedom to make use of them, safety to practice them, time to devote to them, and more.
Humbled at having so much, I renew my commitment and head to the gym for a second night.
See you along the Trail.
Along the Graybeard Trail 