Posted by giveawayboy on March 06, 2001 at 17:15:41:
Hey all--this is a continuation of the string below titled: thoughts on connectedness.
I see that John McGee and Martha Bootle and Skydancer had alot of good things to say. Heck--I think all of us have important things to say. Well, this is HOW YOU DO IT! First, find a quiet place, then allow all of the present situations to sort of fall out of your mind. Sometimes taking a nap helps. Or taking a walk. Then hold in your mind at least one of your current friends. Think about how you know them or why they are special to you. Think about how or where you might have met. Then think who you were with when you met them, or where you were and how you got there. These are all basically just simply WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY queries. But by practicing these techniques you will learn alot about the patterns or cycles in your life. You will also begin to have a greater appreciation for those you love. Now, I'm going to do some more:
Let's pick Alex for instance: Now here's a guy I really love. I had known him somewhat loosely through bookstore work, but I doubt if he'll even remember that. But the first time I really met him was at Win's viewing. It's amazing what an impact Win has had on us all. Win is like the center of a wheel holding all the spokes in place. There were lots of friends who were close to each other exactly to the same degree that they were close to Win. Now, back to Alex. You see, you have to jump back and forth since all these things are related. Now, Alex was living with Michael and Justin and some other guy--I think his name was Mike. Anyway, I went over there once or twice to see Michael Cleary and to draw on the walls. What was so neat was that it was here that I really got to know Alex. One thing I'll say about Alex is that he always was nothing but good to me. One particular night, when I was having a real hard to talk about problem, Alex was the best medicine I could have had. If there's a god in heaven, I'm sure that he created Alex for those few moments in my life. I know for a fact that there are many other reasons why god might have made him, but this was a very special one. I'm sure Terry could say some things here as well as Martha.
John Vaughan--How can I begin to disclose the deep mysterious aching void that is Jonvon? How can anyone surpass this terrible giant brooding playful genius in pink shorts? I simply don't know! I met him years ago at this other church. Funny, I met alot of people I know now through that church. You see a girl named Denise invited me to a youth meeting once and then my whole life simply changed forever. I wouldn't change it for anything. It's been one of the best rides of my life! For you see, it was here I not only met the amazing Chicken Soup master Vaughan himself, but it was also here that I met CC who introduced me to Skydancer, and it was here that I originally met Terry, who was reading Lawhead at the time. Only she didn't remember that. It was also here that I met the people who first introduced me to the Meigs--although I wasn't a big fan of Steve at the time (funny how we change--I love Steve now--even when he gets silly). And just think, I met Sal, my Atlanta roommate at the same church, which means that when I went to Atlanta I had a place to stay. Life is a big crazy circle. O.K. back to John. He was amazing--I mean it--absolutely amazing! This guy was brilliant, and he understood levels of coolness that most people bypassed. I could be myself and John understood. Well, John was the mack daddy. He was sent into my life for many reasons. One, to get my art to another place than where it was sitting in the late 80's. Two, to get me to live my life in a more daring and passionte manner. Three, to help me to become more childlike. Four, to make my chicken soup. Five, to let me realize a long-held dream. To WALK IN COLORADO again. To feel the electric air of the mile high city, to see my old neighborhoods and haunting grounds. To realize that it all wasn't a dream but that I really had been there before. Six, to listen to me. Seven, to introduce me to Anne, his sister and my secret twin superhero. Eight, to introduce me to Paula, a woman who has shown me one thing very perfectly, that God is SO BEAUTIFUL and that this whole mysterious world should stop and have REVERENCE and HUMILITY and GRATITUDE. A lesson she in part learned from another very beautiful man who lives and teaches in GA.
Nine, to make me wear a pancho. Ten, to love me.
Steve Holland is an incredible guy. I owe my meeting him and befriending him first and foremost to one of my dearest friends of all time Robert Colon. Rob used to read old underground Christian zines. Steve and Jen used to publish one. I had vaguely known them through the underground zine culture, but one day I got to meet him while I was working at Tampa Christian Supply. What I didn't realize is that I was about to connect with possibly one of the most important people in my life. The friendship I have had with Steve is too wonderful to explain in a small paragraph. I would need a rather large novel to even begin to do it sufficiently. Thanks to Robert I met Steve.
Then there's Kumar. You see, if it were not for Cari Meigs moving me back down to Florida and taking me into her own home, I would not be doing alot of what I do today. For instance, living with Marcos. Also, I would not have met Jay, who got me this computer. Well, this computer is what helped me to meet Kumar, one of my most favorite people. Thanks to Cari for calling me and begging me to move back home, and Steve for letting me move into his house (I lived with him in two houses), I never would have met Kumar. Kumar has given me so many wonderful clues about life and living healthy, body, soul and spirit. He is such a great friend. What a boy!
Then there's Joe Hornbeck. This man changed my life. I mean it! He really was an inspiration to me at a time when God was calling me to serve him in a particular way. Because of Joe's committment and determination and enthusiasm, I was able to dive into to a whole new way of experiencing God. To this day I owe the way my life has changed to JOE DIRECTLY. Joe, the guy who made my rosary. He impacted me so much.
Wow! There's so much more I could say about Pam Prats, Dora, Carl, Terry P., Skydancer (separate Novel), Todd Gribbin, Anthony Morales, Bryce Gentry (two novels), Lindsay Hickle (I still have yet to find out how much of an impact she has had on me), Martha, Allison (I still pray for Steve) and so many others. What about Carol K., John McGee (novel) and John Tremper, Suzi and Yahoo (novel). Then there's Kliph (novel) and Jason Daniels (a few novelas + a short story or two), Paula Vaughan (mystical writings) Cari Meigs (CD collection), Steve (ecstatic writings, done in the dark illuminated by the backs and feet of angels), Rod Bennett, Lint hatcher, Sal, Mark MDO (ghoststories), Ryan (novel), Frank Cardinale (my master's thesis) and many, many more. I, my friends, am a very lucky man! I have immense riches all around me. I am full of gratitude.
So stop and think about at least one person and watch to see if it will blossom into some huge interconnected circle of influences. You might be pleasantly surprised to see the patterns of God in your life.
Bill