About 9 years ago I took a sort of vacation from work, from my normal life. I felt I had hit a sort of 'dead end ' in the road in my quest. My wife had left me, taken our son, my relationships had ended in pain, frustration, loneliness, and work, though I felt I had reached a pinnacle, held little satisfaction for me. I decided to 'take to the road' to try and find out what else was out there, to find out if I could connect with 'God', or whatever good spirit was out there. To do this I took little more than the shirt on my back, some clothes, and some tools to repair my car if it broke down. I had this idea that if things worked out right, I could maybe sell a handful of drawings I was working on, these were my personal mandalas, and earn enough money to buy something to eat, an occasional beer with good people, and I was willing to do whatever manual labor I could find to get buy on. I was committed to not asking for handouts.

First I went northeast. It was good. I reversed direction and went southwest. It was good. I was working in a square, hoping someone might notice me and offer a few bucks for one of my drawings, I needed to eat, and I saw a woman walking and chanting, giving blessings to random people as she walked along, a big smile on her face, and full of love. I don't know how she noticed me, or I her, but suddenly we were face to face. She gave me an interesting and odd look, with her smile, and I don't remember everything she said, but, she said to me, you will be blessed, you'll see, I am a strong one, and then she went on, continuing her blessings, smiling, and loving.

The incident was odd, beautiful, magical, spritual, profound. I continued my journey, I made discoveries, I found love, I found joy, I found wonder, and the womans words returned me when I dreamed and remembered. 'You'll see, I'm a strong one one.'

I have seen, I have been blessed. To you reading this, to you who believes, wants to believe. You will be blessed. You'll see. I am a strong one