Walkers share their observations about Fresno and how they relate to what they knew prior to the walk, and how it has informed them. FMWalker, Brenda, shared her history of the route for Walk 23, Yr 3 beginning at McKinley and First. “This was my first walk with this group..and it just so happened to be in the Mayfair district that I grew up in! We walked past my Elementary & Jr High schools. Walked down the train tracks I walked on countless times. I later drove by & saw my house I grew up in on Joyce St. & also the house on Weldon that my daughter was born in (amazing Home birth)💕❤️ Also saw the house my mother was murdered in when she was 49 years old. (1989)This walk was so powerful on so many levels for me too…I am grateful it was a silent walk. Thank you Universe/God/Goddess for my healing journey.” Brenda
Here are some more reflections shared about Walk 23, Yr 3, 9/30/2017:
“This morning I participated in Fresno Mindfulness Walks. I met up with a friend who experienced a “Looking Back” at Yosemite Junior High including familiar walking paths. Lori D Clanton founder and leader of the weekend pack with Beth Lederach graciously and mindfully monitored the quiet walk. (Yea I cheated!) In many ways it was a wake up call! What can I do to make Fresno better? Have a kinder heart. (I don’t know yet. But something rattled within!) And what I noticed most, is a lack of flowers. Beauty is important in keeping the spirit lifted!” Donna
Other observations and thoughts from this walk include:
Walking through Yosemite Middle School brought back memories of “back in the day” and walkers were happy to see it in good condition today.
Enjoyed seeing the men working at Turner Manufacturing, enjoying music while they work and stopping to share breakfast, which included carne asada on the grill.
Hopeful to see the business owner in front of the Flora Dora market and the construction workers remodeling and adding a new area for a restaurant.
Other sights included a lovely bamboo grove; outdoor living, house after house with fences, and then areas without fences; friendly people; father and son bringing items to the recycling center with his son; people lining up early to exchange cans and bottles for cash;
Sights: Trash -so much, mounds; Boys up early practicing football in advance of their game at Hoover at 11; girls prepping for cheer competition; roosters; beautiful artwork and signs with positive messages throughout the Yosemite Middle School campus;; an expensive car in poor neighborhood; vegetable gardens behind fence; houses with shrines prompted walkers to wonder about the stories behind the shrines; numerous loose dogs roaming the streets and sidewalks. Walkers noticed details such as a brown speckled pigeon. A house w 15 cars on front yard. Numerous people living/sleeping in tucked away places or at the edge of a path or alley.
Sounds: birds digs trains, stillness, friendly greetings, broken glass, footsteps, tracks, snippet of conversation, loud music, variety of music.
Smells: breakfast, cooking at Turner Manufacturing, rosemary, recycling, beer, soda, smell of people living in the open.
Words to describe feelings: shock, interest, enriched, humbled, nostalgic, grateful, enlightened, priorities, healing, disappointed, afraid for men sleeping in street, understanding, heartbreak, overwhelmed.
A walker shared how he was struck by the symbolism of the tracks down FloraDora –prompting him to consider where he is going in life, how the direction of our paths indicate where we will end up.
There was so much shared from this walk, which concludes with the reminder that these are all our brothers and sisters in Fresno; and all of our lives and futures are tied together.
To see photos from this walk
Google photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dJr1vL95weMyDIwk1
Facebook photo album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2035733286713415.1073741968.1429474537339296&type=1&l=1f6da2cf29
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