OT farewell

[Guest guest]

Hello all:

I'm leaving the group as I'll be away on holiday until the second

week of August. If I come back safe and sound and in my whole skin

from our journey, I'll probably be joining the list again. I hope for

it.

I'll answer all posts concerning me, if any, when/if I come back ...

We're going to a region in Brazil which is famous for its culinary,

based on pork, and fresh green vegetables, but also dairy and jams.

Though I don't much eat the latter, I won't avoid them this time.

Because if I did, it'd be like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope,

or to Hungary and not eating paprika.

I know that it isn't necessary to say you are leaving, but since

nobody knows what lies ahead of them, I thought it'd be a good idea

to bid farewell to you, for just in case. Stay cool, however, I won't

make you waste your time by taking stock of the things I've seen,

heard and gone through here. Let it be.

I simply wanted to borrow an idea that Ron posted some time ago. He

said he'd like to meet some of the members of this group personally.

So would I, but the difference is that I'd like to see ALL of you, or

at least all of the active members, although lurkers would also be

welcome. And I think this gathering could be the right occasion for

having a meal together (we'd need a very large round table, no?),

each one of us bringing a food that we'd like to share. I know what:

among other things, some fresh coconuts from my garden for Deanna and

, mullberries also from my garden to Heidi and a handful of

genuine Brazil nuts for (if I remember well, it was who

told us about an insight telling her that she was need of Brazil

nuts, in fact selenium, wasn't it?) Or was it ? Oh I

can't remember. I have to think about what to bring to ,

anyway. Perhaps she'd be surprised to learn that we also sell butter

in bottles in Brazil. Very artisanal. Maybe she'd care to have one.

Maybe breadfruit for Robin Ann (no gluten) and some exotic tropical

fruit for Wanita (I think she likes it). And so on.

I think that meal together would be an opportunity for healing (I

hope agrees with me on this), besides having fun. We'd

certainly confirm much of what we came to think of each other, but

often would we be surprised to *see* that the actual person is quite

different from our own lucubrations, wouldn't we? Yes, wouldn't that

meeting be a remarkable experience for most of us? That's why I think

it'd be healing above all.

But I want to leave you leaving something behind, which is also food,

but (sorry, this is a cliché...) food for thought, you know. It's a

piece that I first read in 1988, that is, almost twenty years ago. I

typed it all again for you (it was in my paper archives) and I found

that it hasn't lost an inch of its original power. As I was typing

it, I was moved again, just like the first time I read it, over

several passages of that piece. I'd classify it as off-topic, but I'm

not totally certain of it. It's so beautiful, so truthful, so dense

(and yet so brief) that I feel like saying it's definitively on-

topic, if you just look at it a second time. It's for you to say,

though, and that's why I urge you to read it in the first place. What

I most like about the piece is that the author isn't telling you what

to do. He may not even be addressing all the *big* issues of to-day,

but he goes straight to the root, doesn't he? Well, see for yourself.

It's my following post.

I'm dedicating it (just figure, as if I were the author?) to every

one on this list, boys and girls, but in particular to my friend

in New Jersey. She'll know why.

I think mothers and fathers will really profit from reading it, too,

and then I think of and Naomi, among others, who still have

small children (I do as well), and of , who is carrying a baby

in her womb. But indeed it IS for everyone. Even for those who think

they've seen enough.

By the way, I think that the ideal date for the meeting/meal we were

talking about would be next Tuesday, July 26, to-morrow, in other

words. So we'd be better to hurry up... And I hope she won't be angry

with me for my letting on to the group about it, but tomorrow it'll

be Deanna's birthday. Therefore, one very strong reason to celebrate.

Happy birthday to you, Deanna!

And good-bye to all of you!

José-