The Peace Artist-

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Running 10,000 miles for Love, Art & Peace

-And this is the way of the Peace Artist: It all begins with Gratitude--Love, Help, make Art & Peace

What can I do for Peace? The Peace Artist can run, and he can do art. His pilgrimage is one of faith. Faith in the goodness of others and faith in love, art, and peace. His 10,000 mile journey around the continental United States is a trek for peace between nations, amongst people, and the often most difficult...inner peace. He runs until given shelter, and fasts until given food; he never asks. He takes no money with him, but only carries art supplies. He gives away his artwork as a peace offering to those who will accept them. People are good. His only hope is that others will be encouraged and inspired by his example, and they will do what they can for peace.

Email: peace@thepeaceartist.com

Facebook: Peace Artist

Snail Mail:

P.O. Box 190852

San Francisco, CA.

94119


Butterflies-

July 8, 2012 in Pearl, MS

My friend Garry has done more for peace and the status of kids around the world in the last year than almost anyone I know. It is hard to keep up with what this dynamo is doing. He and his partner Pedja have taken two trips to Laos to build schools and clinics that serve entire villages in the last year as they have for several years previous.

There, they financed the schools, clinics, and medical and school supplies by selling books on Amazon from his basement. In addition, every year he secures funding for and sponsors two kids from the villages to go to college. Furthermore, he takes nearly 20 nursing students to Laos with him to aide in the administration of care for the villagers as well as swinging hammers. Also, he hires outside contractors to come in and dig wells so the villagers have access to clean drinking water.

In his “free time”, he started to gather his literature for his PhD, and hopes to tackle that in between his other commitments. He got another student fully funded for university in Thailand, and the student moved in and started classes this week.

Garry was born very near the arctic circle and was raised on whale blubber and lived in a tiny village. Yet, he is one of the most sensitive, intellectual, and inspiring people. He is a professor of nursing, and as such, he started teaching clinicals for critical care and lectures as well this week. In addition, he has to do all the prep work to prepare for the students.

As if that weren’t enough, he has already begun to plan his next trip to Laos in 6 months, and begun packing tons of supplies that were donated by the family of surgeon who passed away. He and his partner Pedja are still selling books, and received 20 boxes this week!!!!

On top of that, he fundraises for the San Jose Gay Men’s Chorus, and volunteers at a theater on Friday’s selling drinks during intermission. As you can imagine, someone his interesting gets people to stick around the bar, and dig deep into their pockets to support the local community theater.

And to top it all off, the other day he was canning and making 36 jars of jam! Which if I know him well, he will probably donate a good share of to people in need.

I’m tired just writing about all that he is doing and does, but not to tired to paint. Garry loves butterflies, and so I painted this one for him.

Garry makes me, and everyone around him ask, “Whom can I serve and how can I serve?” The answer when—is always now.




Be The Love In The World-

July 8, 2012 in Jackson, MS

Are we so willing to speak, that we have forgotten how to listen? How often do we simply listen? For thousands of years we have learned to listen, and it has created peace, have we stopped?

With as many civilizations as we’ve found on our own world, compared to the vastness of space…

… life is unspeakably rare.  So whenever we do find another person, especially one that’s… struggling… What message do we send them?

Do we offer help? Sometimes we can’t. But we can always try.  Life is simply too precious not to.

Or do we berate them for the failings and past mistakes. Do we complain about “SOCIALISM”, because we really just do not want to help our neighbor. We don’t want to be the peace. We don’t want to live the golden rule. We don’t want to treat others as WE ourselves would like to be treated.

People complain about socialism, but I ask you have you never used a road? A public library, the police, the fire department, a city, county, state, or national park? Have we never drank clean water from the faucet? Breathed clean air? Gone to a public school, gymnasium, theater, auditorium? Have we never used an institution of the government for our own benefit?

We are socialists. Thank you for being one. Because of you I’ve had an education, read a book from the library, and been helped by the police. Thank you for being socialists.

Now I ask you, can you help your brothers, your sisters; can you help your fellow man?

We an interesting species; an interesting mix.  Capable of such exquisite dreams and such horrifying nightmares.  Technologically we’ve advanced very quickly — some think too quickly… and yet…we are so lost.  So cut off… and so sad. We’ve trampled our world and each other just to get a leg up, but for what?

What does it feel like to understand everything in the universe except yourself?

There is no reason we have to be alone.

We are alone…for now. For thousands of years we’ve searched the cosmos… and after all the suffering, after all the chaos and desolation of the void– the one thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other.

That’s why I walk with my message of peace. That’s why I choose to make contact with my fellow man.

The linked video shows how beautiful we can be as a species, so eager to help, to love, to make another’s day. Compare this video to pulling the trigger to kill. Compare this video hating another because of their skin color? Compare this video to discriminating against another because of another’s sexual preference? Compare this video of love against the opposite…

Imagine if we tried to make each other’s day, instead of trying to ruin it?

Be the love in the world.



Halfway-

July 8, 2012 in Jackson, MS

5,000/10,000 Not that the miles really matter. But…halfway.



Why Wait?-

July 6, 2012 in Cliniton, MS

There is no tomorrow. There wasn’t one today. Today, this moment is all you have, are you happy? Since I’ve been in the “Bible Belt” everyone has been telling me about Jesus, and the peace that he is going to bring. I ask them, if he were to come back right now, “What do you think would be the first thing he would do to bring peace? Why are WE not doing that? Why aren’t you?”

I was talking to a man the other day, his friend sat down and I asked him if I could draw him, because I thought he had a beautiful face. “You ain’t gay are you?” he asked.

I told him, “Yes, I am happy.” I am happy because fear isn’t first thought that comes to my mind when another man tells me I’m beautiful. Rather, I’m grateful for his appreciation and his compliment. Better to be bless another because of their beauty, that to make myself ugly with with hate and fear.

The cop on the bridge the other day asked me if I’ve been robbed. I said, “Everyday you go to work expecting others to be unloving, cruel, and evil. Everyday, I wake up expecting people to be kind. Judge for yourself which way of living brings more peace?”

A man said to me, “So you would just lay down all our defenses and abandon our military presence around the world? I can’t do that I need defenses.”

I said, “A man only builds a weapon he plans to use. A farmer doesn’t purchase a tractor if he has no intent to plant. Which would you have our nation sow? Seeds of destruction, killing, and abuse or those of kindness, forgiveness, and peace?

A woman the other day said, “I will never ever apologize for America!”

I said, “I find that only those who have trouble receiving forgiveness have the hardest time extending it. Apologies lead to forgiveness, forgiveness leads to reconciliation, reconciliation to peace. Pride therefore is the impediment to sleeping with contentment. Arrogance blinds me to my own soiled garments.”

Today is the day for peace…there is no tomorrow. There was no tomorrow today?

A man can only stand upon a blade for so long before you decide which side of the knife you wish to be on, you either you choose love or…???



Planting Seeds-

July 5, 2012 in Clinton, MS

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money cant buy
That’s true love and home grown tomatoes

Ra’Chelle’s last name is Peace…pretty cool. She and the other girls down at the starbucks were kind to this weary runner and gave me a free tea and cookie.

Laura, a manager at starbucks, is re-decorating her entire bedroom with a peacock theme, so she asked me to paint her one.

While at starbucks, I met two other artists. It was such a delight to talk to them about paper, paints, and methods and practices. Both are quite well known around these parts and have their own gallery.

Jeffery is a painter and designed sets for theaters for a living. He said that he would like to have a piece, he didn’t quite know what, but he said he wanted something purple so we settled on purple orchids.

Jeff is very active in his church. He has built churches in India, Mexico, and here in the US. He has worked with doctors without borders and taught people to plant their own food to help with food shortages in other countries. He said, “A lot of times I meet people like you that are insistent that every other person must do, serve, love, or participate in the way that they are. It is refreshing that you value the contributions of all people.” I said to him that for me it isn’t what you do, but why you do it. Any act, small or large, done with compassion, kindness, and love as its central tenet is destined for success, if only for the intention itself. The hard part isn’t what to do, do anything kind. The hard part is getting up off the couch. The hard part is being kind to those who weren’t kind to you first. But, if we always wait for others to be kind to us first, peace will never come. We must be the peace. WE must initiate it. If not us, then who? If not know, then when?



The Fellas-

July 4, 2012 in Bolton, MS

I spent the entire day in a convenience store gabbing and philosophizing with a bunch of wonderful men. Mason, Johnie, Bay, Bell, and Al to name a few. These men really made me feel loved and gave me one of the most wonderful experiences of this trip.

Johnie-

July 4, 2012 in Bolton, MS

Johnie was a very sweet man that I had the pleasure to talk with and draw today.

Even though I had already given him a peace, he was taken by the drawing I had done for another, and asked me to draw him as well. He sat rock solidly still and didn’t move at all. In addition, he held the most wonderfully natural smile the whole time. Really an honor to draw him.

Dot-

July 4, 2012 in Bolton, MS

It was Dot’s birthday, so I made her a homemade birthday card.



Ole Black Water-

July 4, 2012 in Vicksburg, MS

6:00am: Awake to the sound of 500 frogs and bullfrogs chirping as they did all night. The dock that I slept on was comfortable enough, but because of the pond, the mosquitos were thick. Thankful, so very thankful for the mosquito netting.

6:15am: Teeth brushed, cart packed, and body sun screened I head out. 13.3 miles till Mississippi. The pedestrian bridge is out, so I will have to get on the freeway, and cross the river…I hope there is a shoulder and that the cops don’t hassle me.

7:30am: Hit the free way entrance.

8:15: I run past weigh stations, I keep my face forward hoping if I am about my business, the cops at the station will be about theirs. There are about 9 cameras on the freeway, I keep my head down and plug forward.

8:40: I hit the first bridge over the delta; I thought at first it was the river…slightly disappointed it wasn’t.

9:00 The bridge is narrow, and there is no shoulder, but thankfully, there is about 3 feet between the semi trucks and the edge. Its not a lot, but enough.

9:10 The river isn’t so big. I thought it was going to be BIG like the Columbia.

9:15 The police cruiser parks sideways to block me and the lane behind her. She is nice though and asks me for my ID. I explain what I am doing, then she asks, “No really, what are you doing?” She smells nice, and I tell her so. She tries to look official because she doesn’t want to be partial to me because of my compliment. But she really did smell good…especially compared to me.

9:23 I’m not wanted in any states so she allows me to finish crossing urging me to be careful.

9:30 MISSISSIPPI! I stopped in the visitor’s center and talked with the young women working there. Every poster and piece of memorabilia on the walls was of white people “enjoying” the ante bellum south, or pictures of civil war generals. Not a single black person pictured, non of their accomplishments, and not even an acknowledgement of the history of the African American to be found. Judging by the pictures, you would think only white people lived in Mississippi…and yet all who worked there were black.

10:30 Find a McDonalds; get some hash browns and pancakes thanks to McDonalds card someone gave me. (thank you again) Not the most healthy breakfast, but there is a reason that McDonalds makes so much money…it does taste good.

11:00 I meet Richard, and in doing so, the trajectory of my day changed amazingly. Richard is the kind of man that makes you ask, “Sheesh, am I under achieving?” Richard is a successful real estate agent, was a vice president of an investment bank, owner of a construction business as well as a business of restoring and procuring fine rare automobiles. To top it off, he is a volunteer firefighter.

11:30 Richard and I talked for a long while and I asked him if I could paint something for his daughters. I painted some violets, and then Howard, a friend of Richards stopped by to say hi. Howard’s face was craggy from a life well lived. I asked to draw him, and he consented.

11:45 A couple of women were watching and liked what they saw. Unfortunately, they were on their way to a funeral, and the tearstains had left their tracks upon their cheeks. So I painted them some daisies.

12:00 One little boy saw what I was doing, and asked if he could paint and draw with me. We decided we would paint a wiener dog, and then exchanged pieces.

12:15 Richard left but promised to return with a frosty delight from the town’s secret purveyor of sweets. Brian, Sam, Ben, and Brady all wanted a picture since I did one for their brother. I painted two wiener dogs, a princess, and a green alien. The boys were happy and so was I.

12:45 A woman waited patiently for me to finish with the boys, and asked me to paint a frog for her grandson.

1:00 Richard returned with the berry smoothie, and asked if I would like to see the rest of the town? We loaded up his truck, and set off downtown to see the oldest art gallery in all of Mississippi.

1:30 We toured the naïve and outsider art gallery, and the coffee shop downstairs. We walked to the Coca Cola museum, an antique store, and a pharmacy that predates the civil war. There in, they have kept much of the instruments, vials, jars, and actual “medicines” from the early and late 1800’s! Many, not surprisingly, we now consider poisons. I wonder if in another 100 years we will look back at our drug hungry culture and marvel.

2:00 Richard offered to take up to see the Vicksburg Civil War Memorial National Park. We piled back in the truck and we drove around where the actual battles were fought. We saw the 2100 sculptures that mark important spots and perused the signs that gave exhaustive play-by-play descriptions of the siege campaign of General Grant. The north finally surrounded, bombarded, and subdued Vicksburg. At one point, grant actually cut a new river to by pass the Mississippi! By capturing Vicksburg, the North essentially won the war, because now supplies could be moved up the Mississippi to support the northern troops.

3:30 Richard took me to see an old ironclad war ship raised in 1965 in nearly pristine condition from the sand of the Mississippi river. The sand kept the oxygen and water from rusting the metal, and thus preserving it. The ship was a treasure trove of civil war artifacts as well because the entire contents of the ships holds were intact…even cloth survived.

5:00 Richard took me to Taco Bell for something to eat, and then drove me to the towns limits. We exchanged hugs and said goodbye. At the exact moment I met some guys hitchhiking across the country, hopping trains, and walking. I offered to go with them for a piece, but they were set on taking the freeway, as such we parted ways.

6:00 Ran 11 miles till darkness threatened to envelop the road.

9:00 I found a church, set up my mosquito net and sleeping pad. Used the hose to take a shower.

10:00pm Fell asleep…happy for a wonderful day. Knowing that everyday is an adventure, and I only wait to see what tomorrow will bring.


Chelsea-

July 2, 2012 in Tallulah, LA

“I’m having the worst week of my life,” she said. “My house burnt down, I wrecked my own car, I live in this crappy little town where there are some really rotten people, and this morning I missed seeing my mom who is jail, because I wrecked my best friends car.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked.

“No, unless you want to buy me a new car?” she asked.

“I would if I could,” I said. It is a nice feeling to know that if I could I really would. “Perhaps going for walk with me to get some endorphins would make you feel better?”

“Yeah, I should go work out at my gym,” she thought out loud. I thought about what I could do. We said our goodbyes, but I returned about 15 minutes later with a simple flower painting. It wasn’t much, but it what I could do. Every girl likes to get flowers. Imagine if we gave flowers to everyone…especially when they have had an especially bad day…or week.

Peace is at your fingertips.


Love More, Love Lots More-

July 2, 2012 in Tallulah, LA

“Are you saying that you believe God is Black?” Gloria said to the Peace Artist?

“I don’t care what color she/he/it was/is, or if he/she/they/it exists at all,” the Peace Artist replied.

“There is no way that God was black,” she retorted with a chuckle incredulous at the thought.

This isn’t how the conversation began however…but where it got. Allow me to start over.

The noon sun was beating the air into submission; all things that tried to live in defiance were burnt or at least scalding. The blown rubber on the Peace Artist’s road weary tennies were threatening to transform from a solid to a liquid state of matter. In the distance a red sign beckoned like a desert oasis, except this was a dessert oasis.

Gloria’s ice cream shop on the desolate country road was just what the traveller needed. Thankful for the few bucks in his pocket, the Peace Artist’s only hope was that a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream would give him a respite from the photon bombardment. The sun threatened to turn the blacktop into a solar frying pan; the Peace Artist being the main course.

Gloria welcomed him, and gave him an ample scoop that he hoped would subdue the imminent sinus explosion in his brow. She was curious about the sign emblazoned across his blue cobbler’s apron. He explained his mission, goal, and hope as succinctly as possible: World Peace. And with that she said, “Ice cream’s on the house!” At which the Peace Artist thanked her profusely.

“But you do realize there can’t be any peace apart from Jesus,” she said. “When he comes back we will have 1000 years of peace.”

“I’ve been curious about this 1000 years,” he said, “If Jesus was to come back at this exact moment, what is it you think he would do to effect world peace?”

“Well, the nature of man is not peace,” she said.

“You know, I hear that a lot. A lot of people say to me, ‘Mankind will never be peaceful.’” The Peace Artist continued, “If that is true, then why be kind to anyone. If human nature is to be evil and war like, why be kind to anyone. Why shouldn’t I hurt everyone I come into contact with, why shouldn’t I rob you? If it is all about me, and what I can get, then why not just take it to the logical extreme?”

“Well do you believe in Jesus? You aren’t an atheist are you?” she countered?

“I believe in love,” he stated simply. “I believe in every human. We all have the ability to be the peace, to be the love, to be the kindness that is often found lacking. I don’t care if it is Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, or Thomas Merton who exemplifies the example, they were all for peace and love.”

“Oh no, it isn’t Buddha, it is only Jesus that brings peace,” she countered.

“I haven’t found that to be true. Look at the Dalai Lama, although his people have been tortured, raped, and killed, he has only responded with peace and kindness. Unbelievably, he and the other Buddhists have even had compassion for the occupying forces of Tibet. In contradiction to that, this “Christian Nation” has bombed and killed thousands of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan without knowing whether or not they were even to blame for the attacks of 911. Even the Old Testament says an ‘eye for an eye’. Surely, America as killed more than 3000, and extracted more damage than the twin towers cost. And yet, it was Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies’, when will this Christian nation try the approach of the man they hold in such reverence?”

“The Bible has the answers to every question, it has the only truth that I choose to believe in,” she stated.

“There are some wonderful things to be found in the Bible, I especially like where Jesus says the most important thing to know and to follow is love. But there are things that are problematic. One small example is when the armies of Israel marched around Jericho; it says that the sun and moon stood still. For that to happen, the Earth would actually have to stand still. Thus the writing is obviously wrong for the sun doesn’t orbit the Earth, but rather the Earth orbits the Sun. Secondly, if that were to have happened, everyone would have been crushed because the strength of gravity is tempered by the centripetal force of the earths spin,” he added.

“Well, we don’t know how God did it, but he did,” she answered without confronting the dilemma posed by the physics.

“However,” he continued, “There are some things on which science and the bible are in agreement. One such thing is the concept of Eve and the Mitochondrial first woman. The bible says we came from one woman, and so does science. We all descended from one black woman in Africa.”

“We are not all from a black woman!” she said insulted by the thought.

“Actually the science and the bible are in great agreement on this. The first civilizations we have found are from Mesopotamia and Eastern Africa. The bible says that Adam and Eve were kicked out and settled East of Eden in Nod. Therefore, Africa is where Eden more than likely was. This fits our mitochondrial DNA mapping as well.”

“Yes, we are all brothers and sisters, but we all didn’t come from one black woman,” she uncomfortably chuckled looking at the other white woman and her son in the shop for empathy.

“Actually, the science is very clear and concise on this matter. What would it benefit us for me to lie to you? Granted I admit that the science could be wrong, a central tenet of all science is the notion that nothing is absolute, but open to new discoveries,” he qualified.

When the human genome was mapped we discovered that although our personal DNA varies greatly, our mitochondrial DNA is very consistent. The mitochondria are the powerhouses of all our cells, have their own DNA, and are passed directly from our mothers. Therefore, you can trace slight abnormalities back to one central figure, which for lack of a better term was the mother to us all. The mitochondrial Eve lived in East Africa about 200,000 years ago. I can show you to a number or respected articles on the subject if you like?” he asked.

“There is no way that Eve was a BLACK woman,” she said defiantly.

The Peace Artist paused…

“Are you saying that you believe God is Black?” Gloria said to the Peace Artist?

“I don’t care what color she/he/it was/is, or if he/she/they/it exists at all,” the Peace Artist replied.

“There is no way that God was black,” she retorted with a chuckle incredulous at the thought.

“Well if the first humans came from Africa, and the bible was written by a bunch of sheepherders from the middle east, they were most certainly people of color do you not agree?” he asked.

He continued, “I had never even considered whether god was black or white until you just asked, but I find it fascinating to think thanks to your question about the verses in Genesis, ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.’ Therefore as you rightly point out, if Eve was black…God most likely was too,” he thanked her for pointing out.

“But, none of this is important,” he continued. “What is important is that you loved on me. You saw how hot it was out there, 109 by your thermometer. You saw what I was doing, and you chose to love one me. You loved on me the way you and only you could. You loved on me by giving me this ice cream, which was absolutely delicious by the way. Regardless of whether the bible was/is correct, regardless of whether science is correct and mitochondrial DNA does point to a black woman progenitor…you loved on me. Thank you for that,” he said gratefully.

What matters more than love? Is there anything else on which all humans agree? Atheists love. Christians love. Muslims love. Bahai love. Wiccan love. Mormons love. Shinto love. Buddhists love. Blacks love. Whites love. Love more. Love lots more.




The Devil’s Anvil-

July 2, 2012 in Tallulah, LA

I’m not ready to stop running…but my feet would like me to. I’ve maintained from the beginning that when I’m done, I’m done. I won’t continue just out of pride sake. The temperatures have hovered at 105-110 with a UV index of 10 (High) for the last couple of days. The humidity has been a consistent 87%. The ground is literally so hot, I cannot touch it with my hands making it the Devil’s Anvil. I have four blisters on my feet and heat rash on my calves. All of which have begged the question…why again am I doing this? The truth be told, it is cooler in Afghanistan.

I think of all the people sitting in ditches in Afghanistan waiting to kill someone. I’m doing it for them—and their victims. I’m doing it for all the kids killed and dismembered in Chad, Rwanda, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the threat that children might be hurt in Iran.

But the question is in my face because the hairdryer of heat has blown it there, “Is this the best way I can effect world peace?”

Perhaps it isn’t the “best” way. But, it is the way that lies before me. And, IF it seems that something else is better…I will do it.

What is the “real” peacemaking part of what I am doing? Talking to people and doing art for them. The miles are a bit of a sideshow really. By doing something hard, people are “impressed”. But it isn’t “impressed” that I am going for, or the reason I am out here. What the miles mean to me is: “If this guy is willing to do this much for world peace, what am I willing to do?” The fact that I even walked one day of 20 miles on blacktop with blisters, heat rash, in 110 degrees should be enough to force people to say, “Is he a liar, a lunatic, or trying his hardest to “wake” the rest of us up?” Hopefully, people see that I am just trying to BE the PEACE.

I go by “Peace Artist”. That is my REAL name. My given name was just that. Something that my parents pulled out of a hat, hoping it would define who I am. I was named after the Nile River in Egypt, “Champion”, and like the Nile; I have always done my own thing, and cut my own course. I was raised on the Willamette River; these are the only two major rivers in the world to flow North…non-conformists really. But in order to have world peace we each must choose a different path.

If we as a species want there to be world peace, we must each adopt the mantle of “Peace”. I just happen to be an artist. Therefore I am Peace Artist. You may be a dentist, but are you “Peace Dentist”? Peace Mom, Peace Doctor, Peace Teacher, and perhaps Peace Lawyer (although that does sound like an oxymoron). And yet there are thousands of dedicated lawyers working to help wrongfully convicted and death row inmates for free. In order for us all to experience world peace, we must each BE peace. BE the peace helper, the peace listener, the peace worker, and the peacemaker. BE the peace…in EVERY situation.

When you are driving down the road and someone flips you off…be the peace. Be the love when it is missing.

I am the peace artist. I am not the “peace runner”…that is only how I get around, that is only how I attempt to get you to think about what YOU can do. It really never has been about me. 10,000 miles…or 4,500…does it really matter? It is a pittance, a drop in the bucket, and a sideshow of a sideshow. What does it matter, what will ever matter if we ALL are not peace?

The only question I have had to wrestle with this weekend is this, am I Peace? Running in a 110 or -10 degrees doesn’t change that. It shouldn’t…it doesn’t.