Sunday September 23 - The Lay of the Land … In the Shadows

Sunday September 23 - The Lay of the Land … In the Shadows


I used to take my family to Civil War reenactments. I was and still am and history and particularly Civil War buff. Anything on the History Channel, actually pertaining to historical events, would catch my attention. I also had amassed a certain amount of reading material on the subjects. Visiting and wandering over old battlefields, studying the "lay of the land", the ridges and depressions of what would otherwise appear to be flat ground gave me an appreciation of how tactics were developed and battles took the turns that they did. At the time I never thought such knowledge would ever serve me in a practical way. But life has a way of taking some unexpected turns.

Shortly after I arrived in Austin I found myself seeking out places to spend the night and hopefully get some sleep. One thing that is noticeable at the ARCH is the number of homeless who end up spending their mornings and afternoons nodded out. I cannot attribute this to anything such as "lazy character". I have gotten to know some of these people and experienced for myself that living life on the streets is no easy or desired way to live, and accommodations have to be made in order to simply survive and avoid confrontations with the law and stay out of jail. This include, for many , the necessity of remaining awake for the majority of the night. The law allows one to sit in most public areas, but beware of falling asleep. Falling asleep in public is "against the law", at least "if you are caught", but if you can avoid being caught "no one cares".

So here I was, not knowing anyone or a damn thing about this city, except that the music is great and Texans obviously like to be entertained and party. But I, roaming the streets, not too far from the state capital building and everything is built up, and I mean built up "big". It don't matter what, just make it big. So I'm beginning to roam not knowing diddly squat, and this thought comes into my mind, "Hide in the shadows". Now I was not pondering anything in particular. I was simply at a loss, but I started to notice the lighting and the affect it had and the shadows it created. And here and there I found spots with enough room to stretch out, lay down and for viewing by any in the light and eyes accustomed to the light; I would become for all practical purposes virtually invisible. I found bushes along fences and walk ways infrequently used, walls that cast shadows in areas otherwise quite visible, landscapes that created safe harbors and unless someone is really struggling to see, out of sight out of mind.

Now I have had to expand into areas further out from the downtown area, to the east and north of the capital building, heading into the University of Texas at Austin. I had been accustomed to the university of Maryland in College Park, MD, but this Texas thing is humongous, and spread out and covering a pretty fair piece of ground. And between the UT and the capital building are hospitals and richer areas including concert hall and sports recreation complex and park areas. And one had better be prepared to do some walking.

And this is where all that Civil War lay of the land stuff come in. In conjunction with the "hiding in the shadows", sleeping accommodations are relatively easy to find.

Now I usually try to wake up by 6:00 A.M. or earlier and get on my way, guaranteed to remain out of sight and keep my rest spot secret. This morning I over slept and did not wake up until 7:00 A.M.. Thank God it was Sunday and there was very little traffic, but it felt so good. I have not missed a nights sleep since I got here. I am one of the very few lucky ones.

Now, I wander, and believe, all the interest and studying tactics and "lay of the land", and seemingly out of nowhere understanding the value of using "shadows" as cover, is there something orchestrating and putting it all together? Something that reaches back into my life and further into history itself, revealing truth and knowledge apparently not disclosed to all? Is it instincts, if so, why not everyone? Or is it just to those who "believe" and "try". Yes, I believe it is more than just my own intelligence, though I also know my I.Q... There is too much that I do not have conscious control over, yet I see things coming together. This would include my experiences at the Terra Haute Lighthouse Mission, and the contacts I have made over the past recent years. There is far more that has been gained and developing than was lost along the way. But I have found it does take senses that are exercised and eyes that have become accustomed to seeing.

I have never had a real serious alcohol or drug problem. Sure, I have a few beers or a couple glasses of wine occasionally, and I have been known to take a few hits when the joint has been passed my way. But nothing that has taken control of me. Yet in the life I am living, I am learning to take it one day at a time. There's really no other way you can do it. If I make it through this night (whatever that night might be)(or day as the case may be), there is another success story.