I look forward to beginning my run in January. To get a grip again on experiencing nature in the good way by being a part of it. I felt this when running in the French countryside at 2 a.m in a cold downpour, listening to the air, the rain, the cold.....hearing it, feeling it, smelling it and touching it. I experienced it among my teammates after running our shift and just sitting, all of us, in an open space where we couldn't see a highway, only the beauty and solitude of the Gobi Desert. At the time no blanket to sit on, but feeling the ground with our bodies, the earth. Other times, in England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Russia, U.S., Canada, we had the grass for a mattress, experiencing its sharpness and its softness. Many times we were awestruck by the beauty. something was there; I know we felt it at times between us, as a presence. A good way to start thinking about nature and to talk to it.

We in the south have, like many sections of the nation, been in an extreme drought. For too long we have taken our water for granted with endless hours of washing cars, watering golf courses, cleaning walkways, etc, etc. It is past time to get a grip on this all important resource. We have for too long raped and violated our lands, always saying, "Gimme, gimme, gimme," and never giving anything back.

( for some reason this thought ran through my head as I write this.... I was too aware that somewhere out in the beautiful countryside we ran through in Russia there are missile silos and radar stations. Same in our country. We hear statements by Iran's "leader" that "we will bury Israel" and on and on. Time to get a grip!! We spent time walking the grounds where thousands of Jewish people and others were murdered because of the insanity of another so-called "leader". Get a grip! )

It finally rained yesterday in my state. It brought me back to reality as I observed a squirrel spend 10 or more minutes sitting under a tree soaking in the hard rains. It reminded me of how wonderful the feeling of rain and snow on my face make me feel.

I look forward to my run not only as an opportunity to continue the BPR Foundation vision as momentum keeps building, but to get out of the box once again to feel and listen and experience nature.

I think we are moving in a circle, or maybe a spiral, going a little higher every time, but still returning to the same point as evidenced by the recent California fires and the impact on the families whose homes went up in flames. Actually, it doesn't feel so bad to do without many things that we are used to as people did in earlier years. Many still do.

I look forward to coming out of the box again to rediscover the weather, to embrace the challenge of running 15-20 miles a day, to meet new people, to sing as I run, to reconnect with old friends. I will be giving updates as I begin training again in ernest then the kickoff in January as I head south and then westward to Washington State and then back to the East Coast.

I look forward to hearing from you. I have gotten many messages of encouragement, requests to speak, meeting with running groups, schools, civic groups, on and on.

You can reach me at: lansingbrewer@yahoo.com

Peace and blessings to you and yours, daily.
Lansing

"Brewer Hops to Help Scotch the Safe Drinking Water Crisis, Across America and Back Again"..
"Water is Life...Pass It On!"
please visit the Blue Planet Run website for updates and to read about our run around the world this past summer...blueplanetrun.org
***If running the N.Y. marathon look for Dot's booth at the Expo and other Blue Planet Run team members.