WRESTLING WITH ANGELS

Do you know the story of Jacob wrestling with an angel? (Gen 32:24) A strange myth that inspires me with its punch line---seems Jacob, camping all alone, is set upon by a strange being and they wrestle all night. By daybreak Jacob has pinned the angel, who begs to be released. Jacob's answer has become a life theme for me: NOT TILL YOU BLESS ME. When I engage someone like the gentlemen below, I won't let them go till I've gotten my "blessing". (info., idea, insight, inspiration) This is Tom and I "wrestling" in a Northern City. (name withheld for his safety) We had a great time sharing stories---his just astounded me:----withdrew from conventionality after a mind expanding "trip"-- settled into a tiny apt in Venice Beach--selling antiques. Development comes to the area and he is paid $20,000 to move out. He seizes a golden opportunity to buy a busload of old LIFE magazines for $5000---is pondering how to retail them. He distrust Banks--vowed never to trust them---carries the unspent portion of his windfall around with him in that backpack--on the chair beside him---$12, 500.00 He trusted me with a peek-----damned if it wasn't true!

This is Chuck, his splendid house and garden behind him---friendly and helpful-- I settled in just across the tracks and traded stories----He's a school guidance counselor---and here is his "blessing/insight": Modern communication technology is all the rage with high schoolers but is robbing them of the ability to interact personally. Social skills are evaporating because the richness of being to being is supplanted by machine to machine coldness and sterility. He fights back by banishing machine talk in his dealings with them.

As we became friends, he revealed other dimentions---like songwriting and performing regularly with a rock band. Here he sings a special RV song he composed---very good--gave Paul and I a CD of his performance.

Here's a one in a thousand, heavyweight thinker, scientist and Metaphysician. Second person I've ever met who'd actually read THE PHENOMENON OF MAN by Teilard de Chardin and was conversant. We sat by the river watching the kinetic sculptures paddle downstream while speculating on the meaning of life. I suggested that perhaps it was all a cosmic drama--where eternity is adventuring in time. He thinks it's possible that life was seeded here from elsewhere.

I told him about the URANTIA book and community that holds that view.---He gave me his web site and I lost it----If you read this--e-mail it to me.

This is Jack, whom I engaged a few nights ago in the parking lot of an Indian Casino. His grand adventure made the Backpacker Magazine:-----he's retired--polio stricken when he was young and it is now reasserting itself----he's getting weaker---but has chosen to wander around while he's able. Some months ago by accident he shared a campsite with a super athlete and they became friendly. Jack revealed a bucket-list type ambition to visit horseshoe canyon where that guy got trapped and had to cut off his arm to escape. The super athlete (Bryan Smudz---google him--I did) decided to fulfill Jacks dream. Together they undertook a 3 day hike into that perilous canyon with Bryan veritably carrying and rappeling and hoisting jack up down and around the obstacles. What an incredible gift!

Engaging people is more than a hobby for me--It's what I do!---and in large measure it's who I am---because whatever is worthwhile about me, I "borrowed" from those I've met.