Peter, it’s too bad you left teaching. People are drawn to you because of your calm demeanor and then discover the wisdom beneath the calm. Talking with you feels like floating in a warm, vast ocean. ( Maybe that is what the womb feels like?) Young minds need that. I’ve known a few outstanding teachers. You are one of them.
Oh my goodness. What a gift to be seeing your face again and learning about your adventures travelling all over the place. Such fond, fond memories of those times when you were an associate pastor at Zion in KC and all those youth group activities you endured with us youth, who, as you pointed out in your writing, are not so young anymore. We look to our own young now ( mine are 16 and nearly 20) with nostalgia for what it was like to be that age and have the world and your future still so much ahead of you. And yet reading just this one post so far that you have written is a reminder that the future with all it's possibilities is always ahead of us, whether we be 19, 50, or 82. I am looking forward to reading more of your blog and subscribing and passing it along to a friend of mine in particular who has some powerful wonderlust in her early 50's. Before the holidays she completed 3 weeks walking part of the Camino, mostly through Portugal, but some at the end in Spain and I hear from Ramelle Timm that you have done some of it, too. Mom would love to do it and she still has the energy for it, maybe she will get Andrea and I to Spain to walk with her yet. Take care and so, so good to know how to be in touch with you again.
Yes, I have done the Camino, the French Way from St. Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago (800k or 500 miles) and then to Finesterre at the ocean. You have not included your name here, but Ramelle mention that she talked with Lorna and her daughter, Maria. Is this Maria?
Yes, it is Maria! Sorry that I use a different name and didn't reveal myself. I use that other name to comment on another Substack blog where I don't want to use my real name. I am loving your posts!
When I was 19 I volunteered in a social justice community in Colorado Springs and bonded with Phil who I suppose was in his 60s. After I moved off into my young life we exchanged letters until he was no longer able to write -- I was in my 30s in London I think when I got his last letter. I don't remember thinking "Oh I am young and he is old"... I just remember thinking what a wonderful friend he was and he always has the best stories and the most thoughtful advice!
That is what makes the interactions so important to me. While relevant in terms of the quantity of experiences accumulated, our age is just context. The connections are simply that, connections between humans riding the same planet, intersecting at a moment in time.
Pastor Pete, I was one of those young people at Zion all those years ago when you were the youth pastor. Some of my favorite memories are of the youth group trips to Colorado, with you as our bus driver. You definitely had an impact on that youth group, and me. My brother told me about your Substack a while ago and I am enjoying reading about your adventures. Thank you for being an inspiration to the youth of yesterday and today.
Beth!! I have often thought of you and wondered how you are doing. I was excited when I found your brother on LinkedIn. I hope you are doing well. I will never forget that Thanksgiving with your family when you ended up at the hospital. You were always cool, but after all that, you became a miracle!.
Thank you for those kind words. I’ll never forget that Thanksgiving either(lol). I’d forgotten that you were there, but then I don’t remember a lot from the actual gathering. I do remember you being at the hospital however. I also remember the youth group caroling at my house that Christmas after I’d gotten home from the hospital. You must have had something to do with that, although I never really thought about how the youth group got there before now.
I’m doing well; my husband and I are living in Northwest Arizona, since 2008. I retired last year, and now spend most of my time running the small business we started about 3 years ago.
It’s so good to hear from you. I’ve sent you a friend request on Facebook if that’s ok.
I have a snapshot in my brain of your parents as we sat in the hospital chapel while you were in surgery. I also have a video in my memory bank of watching you walking down the hallway from the dinner table experiencing the vertigo that indicated that something was seriously wrong. I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. It is hard to imagine that you could be retired, but it sounds as if retirement is going well.
Endlessly inspired by you Peter! So much wisdom and excitement in your life and writing, thank you for sharing with us! I will be thinking about this line all day, “ If any of this was true, it was not only true when using those words.”
Thank you for your affirmation, Vanessa. Those words were pivotal for me. They freed me to explore far beyond the words in which the message had been trapped.
I believe that none of us truly know the impact that we have on someone until many years down the road. Thank you SO much for all you have done for me and my family over the years. You have been such a blessing.
Peter, it’s too bad you left teaching. People are drawn to you because of your calm demeanor and then discover the wisdom beneath the calm. Talking with you feels like floating in a warm, vast ocean. ( Maybe that is what the womb feels like?) Young minds need that. I’ve known a few outstanding teachers. You are one of them.
You have always been a gift, Peter. Blessings on your way.
Lovelovelove 💚
Oh my goodness. What a gift to be seeing your face again and learning about your adventures travelling all over the place. Such fond, fond memories of those times when you were an associate pastor at Zion in KC and all those youth group activities you endured with us youth, who, as you pointed out in your writing, are not so young anymore. We look to our own young now ( mine are 16 and nearly 20) with nostalgia for what it was like to be that age and have the world and your future still so much ahead of you. And yet reading just this one post so far that you have written is a reminder that the future with all it's possibilities is always ahead of us, whether we be 19, 50, or 82. I am looking forward to reading more of your blog and subscribing and passing it along to a friend of mine in particular who has some powerful wonderlust in her early 50's. Before the holidays she completed 3 weeks walking part of the Camino, mostly through Portugal, but some at the end in Spain and I hear from Ramelle Timm that you have done some of it, too. Mom would love to do it and she still has the energy for it, maybe she will get Andrea and I to Spain to walk with her yet. Take care and so, so good to know how to be in touch with you again.
Yes, I have done the Camino, the French Way from St. Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago (800k or 500 miles) and then to Finesterre at the ocean. You have not included your name here, but Ramelle mention that she talked with Lorna and her daughter, Maria. Is this Maria?
Yes, it is Maria! Sorry that I use a different name and didn't reveal myself. I use that other name to comment on another Substack blog where I don't want to use my real name. I am loving your posts!
When I was 19 I volunteered in a social justice community in Colorado Springs and bonded with Phil who I suppose was in his 60s. After I moved off into my young life we exchanged letters until he was no longer able to write -- I was in my 30s in London I think when I got his last letter. I don't remember thinking "Oh I am young and he is old"... I just remember thinking what a wonderful friend he was and he always has the best stories and the most thoughtful advice!
That is what makes the interactions so important to me. While relevant in terms of the quantity of experiences accumulated, our age is just context. The connections are simply that, connections between humans riding the same planet, intersecting at a moment in time.
Pastor Pete, I was one of those young people at Zion all those years ago when you were the youth pastor. Some of my favorite memories are of the youth group trips to Colorado, with you as our bus driver. You definitely had an impact on that youth group, and me. My brother told me about your Substack a while ago and I am enjoying reading about your adventures. Thank you for being an inspiration to the youth of yesterday and today.
Beth!! I have often thought of you and wondered how you are doing. I was excited when I found your brother on LinkedIn. I hope you are doing well. I will never forget that Thanksgiving with your family when you ended up at the hospital. You were always cool, but after all that, you became a miracle!.
Thank you for those kind words. I’ll never forget that Thanksgiving either(lol). I’d forgotten that you were there, but then I don’t remember a lot from the actual gathering. I do remember you being at the hospital however. I also remember the youth group caroling at my house that Christmas after I’d gotten home from the hospital. You must have had something to do with that, although I never really thought about how the youth group got there before now.
I’m doing well; my husband and I are living in Northwest Arizona, since 2008. I retired last year, and now spend most of my time running the small business we started about 3 years ago.
It’s so good to hear from you. I’ve sent you a friend request on Facebook if that’s ok.
I have a snapshot in my brain of your parents as we sat in the hospital chapel while you were in surgery. I also have a video in my memory bank of watching you walking down the hallway from the dinner table experiencing the vertigo that indicated that something was seriously wrong. I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. It is hard to imagine that you could be retired, but it sounds as if retirement is going well.
Endlessly inspired by you Peter! So much wisdom and excitement in your life and writing, thank you for sharing with us! I will be thinking about this line all day, “ If any of this was true, it was not only true when using those words.”
Thank you for your affirmation, Vanessa. Those words were pivotal for me. They freed me to explore far beyond the words in which the message had been trapped.
Wow!! Those are such thoughtful and encouraging words!
Thank you so much, Dan!
Thank you, Junie!
I believe that none of us truly know the impact that we have on someone until many years down the road. Thank you SO much for all you have done for me and my family over the years. You have been such a blessing.