2015 has been an exciting year for the Moyers. I got a chance to help raise money and awareness for MS by running (and walking/hiking/crawling) from St. Stephen New Brunswick Canada to Key West Florida. It was humbling experience to say the least. Over 2300 miles, 15 States, two countries and the District of Columbia. I met thousands of people and saw amazing sights in fantastic cities and towns all along the east coast of North America. During my trip I began to re-evaluate my life in ways that I could never have imagined when I first decided to embark on this endeavor. Laurie, of course, has continued to face her MS diagnosis with grace and determination. She is an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Despite the curve-balls that continued to come her way she not only took on her own issues head on in 2015, but also held down the fort for me while I was on walkabout.
Now that I have settled back into my home in the George School community, and have had some time to recover, I have re-committed to becoming an example of hope and confidence of better things to come for Laurie and I….and for the world we live in. There are many challenges facing our world, both at the macro and micro levels. To face these challenges we all need to be better to each other. We need to HELP each other. We need to see each other with fresh eyes. We need to take time to listen to each other so that we can address the underlying issues that keep us from experiencing true peace in our own homes and all around the world.
I learned on my trip that we are not alone. I met people all along my journey who were fighting their own battles with diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and HIV. I also met people challenged with mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction. I saw the VERY VERY rich in their homes and communities, and the VERY VERY poor in their communities with no homes at all. I talked with fishermen and waitresses….although we learned this year that those names are outdated and sexist, and I interacted with hundreds of convenience store clerks who were just trying to get through their shifts. I met with with people working three jobs who felt poor, and people with no job who felt rich.
After a significant period of reflection it has become clear to me that I should write a book about my experiences in 2015. Many, many people have asked about the details of my trip, and have encouraged me to share the “lessons learned” as well as the highlight moments along the way. To that end, I am asking those of you who met me along the way to share your stories of our interactions on this page (and pictures if you have them) to help me tell the tale.
So as 2015 comes to a close I would like to once again thank EVERYONE on earth for making this year the best year it could be, and encourage everyone to join me in making 2016 even BETTER 🙂
TTFN,
Stephen “Forrest” Moyer