Vespadition

here is a man that I truly admire:

vespadition

he has been traveling around the country on a vespa in an attempt to make it to forty-nine U.S. state capitals, eight canadian provincial capitals, and two national capitals in order to promote kindness, compassion, and volunteerism.


if you have some extra money floating around, i'm sure that he could use the gas money.

Mar 18th

I am alive and free.

I feel the need to tell that to the world.
I AM ALIVE AND FREE.

As the tears fall down my face I mourn for the millions that are enslaved by poverty. Empty stomachs, hopeful hearts, struggling to stay alive in their way of life. I weep for the masses struggling to fill the stomachs of their children and themselves. I grieve for the children that work to help feed their parents. I mourn for the eternal sacrifice met with no reward. I cry for my misunderstanding of their reality. I cry because my tears are their tears and we cry together. I cry because I love them, adore them, and admire them. I cry when I eat a good meal, when I purchase new clothes, when I buy flowers for a friend. When I have the luxury that others don’t, I think of them and cry.

It is through these tears that I write you. It is finished. I have met the end of poverty and it brings me great sorrow. For me, the end is just the beginning but for others it is a lifetime of hardship.

This project has left me tattered and torn. My body was beginning to shut down and my mind was a couple of steps ahead of it. The muscles in my face were so numb that I couldn’t even smile. My emotions were dry and my heart lacked the capacity to love. It got so bad that I decided to end the project 4 days early.

The sad part is the statistics haven’t changed. Millions of people still suffer from world hunger and poverty worldwide. Thankfully, people are taking steps to make a difference. You can be one of those people. Your voice is far more powerful than your money. If you feel like these issues are touching your heart I encourage you to let people know how you feel and to take affirmative action. Here are some links to get you started:

Websites:
www.freerice.com
www.one.org
www.makepovertyhistory.org

Books:
Creating A World Without Poverty
The Secret History of the American Empire

To those still reading, thank you. I know that there has been quite a lull in posts and it’s for that I apologize. I’ve been wrapped up in ending tour, moving to another state, preparing for Japan, and trying to live a normal life. Thank you for your dedication. Your support was far greater than any meal I could have ever eaten.

With love. Always.
Shane.

Mar 8th

Today, it is snowing and a chilly 18 degrees outside. Tomorrow in La Crosse, Wisconsin the weather will drop to -5. The cold has been able to attack my bones quicker than anticipated, though I can proudly say that I’ve managed to stay healthy. But the weather has left me tired and distraught; unprepared for the days to come.

I woke this morning wondering if I should just call everything off. I’ve been feeling extremely lethargic and unmotivated as of late. I fall asleep earlier and wake up later than I have in many years. And when I wake, I'm left with a small headache that begins to wear off after three hours. The days are slow and the nights are long but still I progress. My energy has been less than average and I don’t think that I’m as happy and outgoing as usual. It bums me out that the people I meet everyday aren’t getting an accurate representation of who I am.

I haven’t had a chance to weight myself lately but I’m very interested to see how big of a hit my body has taken. This is the scariest byproduct of the demonstration. To let my body go through this has left me terrified.

I’ve been getting emails from friends and family that have been encouraging and motivating. Thank you for caring about my cause and me.

Mar 2nd

www.freerice.com

The concept of the website is one big vocabulary test. With every word that you get right the organization will donate 20 grains of rice to starving families around the world.

1,000 grains of rice a day for the rest of tour. That’s my goal.

Feb 28th

Hunger begins to pain my stomach again even though it’s been dormant for the past week. The pain isn’t as intense as it was in the beginning when it would crush my spirits. These pains are slow and nagging. Progress is a slow process; it’s better than it was before.

I started this project exactly 4 weeks ago. Time has proved to be the biggest struggle. It has been emotionally draining to stay focused and positive. Everything I feel has been exploited during droughts of sleep and hunger. Although my struggling is difficult and troublesome, it has brought me great hope and awareness.

Someday I want to be with people that suffer from the oppression of poverty. I want to hear their story and spread their words. I want to inspire, love, support, and encourage their community; to bring the message that struggle inspires perseverance and in perseverance there is growth.

Feb 26th

Black beans and corn are simply one of the greatest things I’ve done with my life. And then you go and screw up a good thing by adding salsa and melted cheese. As much as I hated my creation, you eat what you can when you’re hungry.

The bean and corn mixture lasted me for around three days. It’s so nice to have a little treat on top of your two-dollar meal. Hunger pains have become few and far between. There’s hope when you’re able to get ahead.

Sadly, I’m back to the place where I started. And though the pains haven’t been too bothersome, the cold weather has. The past two nights have left me searching for heat. The thermal blanket I’ve packed hasn’t been as efficient as hoped.

Last night we stopped at another Wal-mart, only this time I was wandering the camping section. A nice, low quality sleeping bag would lead to proficient rest, which is something that I haven’t been getting much of.

For those of you that don’t know, sleeping bags at Wal-mart run from anywhere between 9 dollars and 40 dollars. As I grabbed one that cost 14 dollars things immediately came into perspective. A 14-dollar purchase leaves me hungry for 7 days. Having to choose between warmth and starvation is saddening. It’s a formidable experience to sacrifice something that’s so important to the general wellness of life.

After around 10 minutes of deliberation I reached a conclusion. For the rest of the tour I’ll be sleeping fully clothed under my blanket.

Feb 23rd

Compassion from complete strangers often takes me by surprise. I find myself dwelling in that statement from time to time. When people that I’ve never met before treat me like they deeply care about me it breaks down the walls of communication. It’s sad that we live in a world where kindness is such a shocking emotion.

I’ve been blessed to receive a package including some essential living items. The socks keep my feet warm, the gum keeps my breath fresh, and you keep me believing.

Thank you.

There is love and grace in Atlanta, GA.