and the seasons they go round and round

on the carousel of time

a few blog messages ago a comment was posted
that I would have missed if not for the convenient fact
that all comments are emailed to me in my inbox
so even if someone responded to a post from last year
I would get a heads-up and not miss it

someone was searching for a "Gloria Page"
who wrote in his travel journal - 29 years ago!
was it possible that it was me?
it was in Chicago. Greyhound bus station.
I took out a paper and pencil and figured that would be
1983
I was in Chicago at that time
I was married so my last name would be Page

I had no memory of signing in a journal
but it sounded like something I would wish I would have done
for a young traveler!

This person was searching, and even had contacted North Light Books
they do not have my newest address most likely
so that went nowhere
and so searching in other ways
found his way to this blog

I asked Peter if he wouldn't mind scanning the entry
if I saw my handwriting that would be clear
he also mentioned that "Gloria Page" did a little drawing
he thought of it as the "four winds"

the scan came and I could see immediately - YES - it was
a connection from half a lifetime ago, literally
I am 58
29 years ago I was 29
I used to take buses from time to time to get around
the Midwest when I didn't feel like driving
(Greyhound was still big in those days. I had taken the bus
from New Mexico to Connecticut and back again in earlier years...)
Peter told me he had just been dropped off at the bus station
by his parents who were from Upstate New York

huge backpack, a guitar in tow
I am sure I was reminded of my own escapades a little less than a decade
before
He remembers that I asked if he were writing a journal.
He took it out and it was a clean slate
so I wrote in it:

"To Peter~
I hope that your journey will be deep and high!
Receive a lot and always remember to give it away
to make room for more. 
The world and you will be better for it~
       Gloria Page..."
and I drew a little sketch of a New Mexican zia sun,
like on the New Mexico state flag
with two birds
that was my symbol for years and years
always a sun and two birds

Peter David Wilder is a writer who lives in New York state
he is also a science teacher in high school
he is going to write a third book and it is going to be about
that 5-month journey he took 29 years ago

he has asked me to consider doing the cover artwork
I am sending him my North Light book so he can see
what I have done and if there is something he likes
we will go from there

an Alaskan artist friend of his - they met on that long ago trip -
encouraged him to try to contact me earlier than later
before finishing the book in case our interaction might
open something up...

I am very moved to make a new friend from a long time ago
a hello and goodbye wave into the future
the new TV show "Touch" has got me hooked
and this really is a real life "Touch" experience

Peter said that in his search for "Gloria Page"
he came across an old blog that I had started and abandoned in 2007
when he realized cancer may be in the picture
he wondered if I no longer was in the picture
glad to say that I am still around

writing a little blurb in a young person's travel journal
so long ago
little things that we do that touch another person's life
like Peter trying to find me
mean so much
so so much

he has a blog, too, and two books in print
peterdavidwilder
I am very open to what I will learn from this person
to receive from this new friendship
and to give it away
making room for more
the world and me - we are better for it.