peace walking

Yesterday morning we went on a Plowshares peace walk to support Susan Crane, who needed to turn herself in at prison for civil disobedience.  It was called Walk for Nuclear Disarmament: From Lockheed to Lock-Up.  Here's a link where you can read a little about it.

http://disarmnowplowshares.wordpress.com/tag/susan-crane/

We were there for just the last day of the walk.  I saw something about it on my friend's facebook page and brought it up with Ming.  He said we should go, which I was so happy about.  So yesterday morning we woke up at 4 and left here before 5 to get to Pleasanton by 6:45 or so.  We ate some breakfast with our new friends, who were packing up after their stay at a church, and started walking at 7:25 or so and walked on busy streets then to a BART station and through the BART station to a place where we assembled to pray.

I love peace walking because I'm moved and honored to move through space and time with my loved new friends for a beautiful cause.  I love being seen by other walkers and the people in passing cars.  I love being a good example of faith in the future in the form of the desire for peaceful change.  I love praying with my feet and warm conversation with other peace walkers.  I love singing together and hearing drums and rattles as we walk.  I love the colorful peace banners that flutter in the wind that we display for others and ourselves to read.  I love being outdoors together, braving the elements, taking whatever nature gives us.  I love having a dream together, being in a unified group of people who care enough to do something meaningful and good.

On this particular walk, I enjoyed how we sprinkled sunflower seeds that we hoped would germinate and grow.  Sunflowers are a symbol of nuclear disarmament.  

I liked assembling to pray for Susan Crane and for peace.  I liked hearing the prayers of my new friends and the messages of encouragement we gave to her.  My favorite part was when we gathered around Susan to bless her, touching her.  The great activist Father Louis Vitale was there--he sprinkled holy water on her and on all of us.

Then we walked with Susan to the gate.  We were confronted by cops.  They told her she couldn't surrender there--she needed to go to the other gate.  A world flag got caught on the barbed wire, and we used sticks to free it.

Then we went to the other gate, where Susan hugged us goodbye.  Though we'd only met for the first time that morning, I felt true love between us.  When I'd met her that morning at the church where they stayed, she looked into my eyes and asked, "Where do I know you from?"  I shrugged and thought, "Some other life?" but didn't say that.  Ming and I tried to give her a copy of Demonstrators on Roadway: 25 MPH and she was very appreciative, looking it over and wanting to read it, but she told us and that when she turned herself in, they would take everything she had except for her glasses.  So we said we'd send her a copy in the mail.

It was a very good morning.  Here is a different choir singing "Vine and Fig Tree" which we sang when we assembled to pray.

And every one neath their vine and fig tree
Shall live in peace and unafraid
And every one neath their vine and fig tree
Shall live in peace and unafraid

And into plowshares turn their swords
Nations shall learn war no more
And into plowshares turn their swords
Nations shall learn war no more