After an incredible seven days at our Gathering at the Chateau Millemont in December 2015 for COP 21, I am staying at a hotel on the West Bank of Paris this evening, getting ready to travel to Rotterdam in the morning.
I last visited the West Bank of Paris in the early spring of 1963. My close friend from Walla Walla High School, Mike Friedman, was traveling with me. There are many stories to tell in Paris, some of which are not to be shared here. One, though, with some regrets, stands out in my mind.
Mike and I were sitting at a coffee shop on a beautiful canal with two beautiful young women from Northern Ireland we had just met. Five Algerian brothers were sitting at another table close to ours.
For whatever reason, they became very directly rude. Finally, I had enough and asked them what their problem was. It became obvious that they hated us because they saw us as Americans.
In those days, I did not take insults gracefully! I sized up the situation and realized that although there were five of them, they were smaller than me. I realized that if we stepped outside, a couple would try to jump on Mike and the others on me. Considering the odds, I realized I could not give them the first shot.
I also sized up who was their leader and knew if I could quickly take care of him in a very debilitating way and the brother who appeared to be second in charge, the others would back off from the fight.
Finally, we stepped outside! Before they could prepare themselves, I yelled and threw the leader on the ground, through some wrestling moves, and broke his arm. His screaming in pain threw the others off guard, but I kept coming at them with my full rage. Mike did well backing me up and keeping the two of them busy.
Busy until I could get to them. Before the confrontation ended, all five were on the ground with several broken limbs, as I did not want them to come back on us again!
My regret is that I now understand the anger and hatred these Algerian brothers were expressing against Mike and me, as to them, we represented the US Government’s destructive actions in the Middle East, destructive actions that continue until this day!
I am now doing my best to Walk the Red Road and support the manifestation of the Fourth Way, a Sacred Path that transcends the destructive Paths of Assimilation, Resignation, and Conflict and focuses on healing broken trusts, healing intergenerational trauma, healing myself, and trusting in the Creator of All Good Things as a source of forgiving myself and others. It is not an easy Path, but it is a good Path!
Unify Humanity! Restore Mother Earth!
