Hello All,
This community is filled with kind and caring BOTL. First and foremost, I want to thank you for all for the prayers and well wishes! Secondly, several of you have sent packages out here that have generated several smiles including from me. THANKS! I made a post about a week ago about converting some guys to the hobby. This prompted some to send cigars out which have and will continue to be enjoyed... ...more on that in a minute. Some of you have also sent other goodies as well as letters. This has been a very touching experience. To get a letter from a person that I do not know personally letting me know that I am thought of and being "pulled for" has made goosebumps rise on my arms. These notes are pinned up beside my bed and mean the world to me. THANKS! I will not be acknowledging these folks publically, but will be dropping notes to you (yes, you know who you are) individually as time permits in the next couple days.
Back to the cigars. One of the exercises we do here is to write a life story. This is not the typical Autobiography type of writing. We are only to focus on negative events and feelings as far back as we can remember them. These are handwritten and entail a lot of reflection and work. The end result is 50-200 pages (I have not done this yet, but will in the next 2-3 weeks when my time comes). At the conclusion of the writing, you read this to your counselor or someone you are comfortable with. The final step is to burn your story. This is symbolic of letting go of any of your past anchoring you down and moving forward. Anyway, usually at least one person is burning their story per day. This has become somewhat ceremonial since my arrival in that we gather around the firepit each evening and share cigars to help celebrate the occassion. So to give you an idea of where these gifts that were sent are going is almost beyond words. THANKS!
Another cool tidbit and then I will stop rambling: I am doing as much community service out here as I can. This includes socializing with the elderly in a care home near here, assisting handicapped children with horseback riding and serving food at a homeless center. I spoke with the homeless shelter Director on my visit last week. In the spirit of BigPoppaPuff's clothes and cigars for the homeless thread, I will be delivering a healthy package of around 75 cigars to the Des Moines Catholic Worker's center on Thursday. Again, THANKS! These opportunities have been made possible largely in part by the genorosity of you folks.
Until next time,
James
