Ride your wind (May 17 - Day 50, 14.5 miles, Black Moshannon State Park, PA)

I think I met my angel today. My life and direction has been clarified and invigorated just by meeting this one person. Oddly enough, he was my masseuse!

Jim and his wife, Linda, run and own a getaway relaxation/massage/holistic health “station” (aka business) in State College, PA. A great supporter and role model to me, who I met a week ago, Charlotte Walsh, hooked Ellen and I up for full hour-long massages...for free! I was looking forward to this massage all day, all week even, and I knew I was going to cry during it due to happiness (what I mean is that if there was anything I could ask for right now it would be a massage).

We arrived at the Relaxation Station early this evening, and as we were walking towards the place, a husky mid-50’s man, with cargo shorts and bare feet, walked out of the house holding a guitar to check the mail. I immediately thought, “wow, is this place run by hippies?! Yeah! Awesome!” Well, the “hippy” man we saw was Jim, and he took us inside to meet his wife, Linda. We met and exchanged laughs, and then got to business. The important thing for me was that I immediately felt a vibe when I met the two of them together. They had something so beautiful going on - they were grounded, loving, caring, and real angels. So warm. Something was with them and I felt it.

Ellen went with Linda and I with Jim. I am just going to go straight into how this massage made an impact in my life, ironically, not physically, but mentally and spiritually (don’t get me wrong, it felt amazing!).

Jim and I connected. His life story is painful, full of fear and hardship and real struggle. Without divulging his entire upbringing to you, I can tell you that he made bad judgements as a young teen. There was a turning point in Jim’s young life that helped him to realize that the only way to come out of his situation was to accept the fear and pain as his own - he claimed it. With other mediation, Jim went on with life, worked in juvenile correction, met Linda there, had two kids, and is now happy and wise.

The important things to know about Jim are not where he has come from, not his past, but rather his mindset and spirit as it is now. He is so connected to what really matters. He believes in where your feet are - in the present, not the past or future. Right here and now. He and I talked about all sorts of things, some topics that we both believe in, some we contemplate, and some we are still questioning.

I do remember asking him what his dreams are and he told me something like this,

“I want to buy my old house that I grew up in, a house that was filled with anger, fear and unhappiness. It was anything but peaceful. I want to buy my house and turn it into a peace garden so that the community can use it as a place of solace. My community needs it, they need a place that represents peace and happiness. It will be so powerful for me to turn something so negative and personally painful for me into something beautiful that can give hope to others. Powerful.”

Way to go Jim! This man is incredible! He also totally understands my mission - to inspire others to find and follow their dreams and passions, and to, personally, live a life of giving. I told him how I believe life is giving to others, and we are given what we give. I told him that I think the world is brewing with fear, too much fear, and it inhibits our dreams. He told me that the only way to confront fear is to accept it as your own, as he did. He told me, “your body is really holding up considering all the running you are doing! How do you make that happen?” I paused and answered with so much confidence, “Jim, I truly believe that something is with me on this journey, whatever it might be, it is with me and wants me to do this. This is my calling. This is me.” Jim then responded with something that I will never forget. He stopped massaging and looked into my eyes as to make a very important point, “Katie, ride that feeling. Ride it and don’t get off. I knew it was in you, I felt it the moment I met you. I feel these things. Let this wind carry you, because it is you.”

I am going to ride this wind. Granted it may change direction, but I just know that I have found my wind and I believe it is going to carry me to my dreams and those things that I am meant to do. I believe it.

Jim believes this too. He told me a story of a particular marathon he ran in Wisconsin a few years ago (keep in mind that Jim is a husky, built man, kind of like a security guard. He doesn’t call himself a runner). He was running and feeling great, but then, as it happens to many runners, he felt like he was lacking something towards mile 20. Then, out of nowhere, he felt a strong tailwind push him along. He rode it and it carried him to the finish. The crazy thing about this is that after the race, Jim was talking to a few buddies who ran, and asked them if they felt the wind too. They looked at him like he was crazy and said, “what wind?! No way! There was not even a breeze out there the entire 26.2 miles!” Jim believes that this tailwind was meant for him, and only him. There was a reason why he finished the race. He found his wind and rode it. It helped him to accomplish his goal. There are no coincidences, it was meant to be. Everything has a reason.

There were so many connecting points and pearls of wisdom Jim shared with me during this hour-massage. Who he is, what he has learned, and what he gave to me this afternoon is something that is now within me. Jim is part of my wind - he has helped give my wind direction. Thank you, Jim, for inspiring me and the direction of my life. I will forever hold you in my heart and spirit.

Love,
Katie

ps for more on the idea of things happening for a reason check out this interesting blog post here http://networkedblogs.com/p4852016.

pps sorry no pics for today...my camera battery died! poop!