PeaceHq

Nuclear Free Future Run - 2004
Day 6, To The Gates Of Y12

Day 6
Friday, August 6th, 2004

   This day would complete our committment for the 2004 Nuclear Free Future Run. Our running day today would end at the main gate of the Y 12 Nuclear facility, where we would link up with the walking pilgramage from the Atlanta Buddist Temple. Nun Denise and Monk Utsumi (leaders of this group) along with whomever had accompanied them would be finishing a 30 day, 450 mile trek today, while we 6 run/walkers finishing a 6 day 360 mile run would join in solidarity with them. The goal is to one day have a group coming from each of the 4 directions for this event, but for today we will be content with covering the north and south portions of the quest. Although we would finish our committment today we had decided as a group to stay for the weekend and participate in the rally at Bissell park and the action at Y 12 which would almost certainly contain some form of peaceful protest - civil disobedience. I was reminiscing about the button I wore on my hat, which says "Atomic Power - No Thanks!". I had aquired that button at the last no-nukes protest I had attended in Madison, Indiana in the late 70's. The public outcry there had permanently stopped an eminently unpopular nuclear power plant under construction from being completed. In winning that conflict we had proven that it is possible for a committed public prescence to alter the course of unpopular activities, a sentiment I wished to interject into this gathering!

   Since we had so few miles to cover today, we were able to enjoy a more relaxed morning than we had become used to while on the road. The plan was to cover the remaining miles and then assemble about 1 half mile from the main gate and run to greet the Buddist contingent as a group. We knew they would be arriving around mid-morning so we headed to Oak Ridge and passed them on our way to our start point. We discovered we only had 4 miles to reach the gates so we gathered around a half mile out and ran in as a group. When we reached the gate Denise and Utsumi along with a contingent of about 20 or 30 or so were standing there in front of the barrier beating their drums and chanting a Buddist prayer. As we approached, the chanting got stronger and stronger, and the goosebumps arose on all of us of their own free will. It was a powerful moment when the two groups combined and we formed a great circle in the front of the barrier erected at the main gate of the Y 12 facility. We had our closing circle ceremony, uttering prayers of thanksgiving that everyone had arrived safely, and then we all began chanting along with the Buddist drum cadence as if we could make the nuclear horror disappear with just the force of our chants and prayers alone! Perhaps we can! It was at that moment that the third part to my revelatory answer about hope fell into place. I strongly felt the power of selfless mutual committment to a higher calling. Many times in the past I had felt the lonliness and isolation of my own personal committment to a spiritual way of life, but now I had another tangible example of the simple fact that I was not alone in this committment (a feeling that would be reinforced over and over again during the events of the weekend to come - but that is another story covered on this site). At that precise moment in time I was feeling the pure Joy that comes from Grace descending into your heart and soul and fostering HOPE! At that moment in time I knew without any doubt that I was not alone and that"HOPE WAS ALIVE IN THE WORLD". When Hope lives in your heart it gives birth to the belief that WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD!!!!!!! So keep praying, keep running, continue to care, never give up, and try to remember - WE CAN! To those of you who have persevered to the end of this story, I thank you, Mother Earth thanks you, I hope it was worth your effort and I'll see you down the road sometime soon I Hope!

TIL THE AM!
Participants

Jim Toren
John Toren
Jon Blickenstaff
Jon Burkindine
Larry Crane
Mark Porter-Webb
Terry Stagman

Day 5

The End

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