28 July 2007 – Morristown, NJ

A Late Start…

If you want to get a taste of collapse, take the train. If civilizations collapse when energy and resource inputs can no longer keep up with the forces of environmental destruction, entropy and chaos, then the state of the US passenger rail system is exactly what we would expect to see in the early stages. Hobbled by a lack of money, a lack of time, a lack of intention, a lack of mission, a lack of caring from the top on down, the trains clunk desperately along, tossing services out at every stop, and leaking quality with every mile.

We got up at 4 AM, made our way to Raleigh for the 5:40, only to find that it was four hours late. And that set the tone for the day: angry, exhausted passengers, defensive and frazzled employees, filthy bathrooms and delays piled on top of delays. Frequent apologies and free food did little to soothe exposed nerves, and as the train rattled on, a sense of helplessness began to permeate the air, overpowering the squawking of handheld video games and the constant buzzing feedback spilling from the overhead speakers. By the time we came to a full stop in Newark, the train was over five hours late.

They say there were almost a hundred people at our Morristown, New Jersey screening at the UU church. But we never got to see them all. By the time we filed in, dropped at the front door by our able guides and friends Phil and Tom, there were about forty-five people left. The screening itself had ended around 9:20, and here it was 9:40, and yet forty-five people had stayed to wait for us. They sat in small circles, discussing the film and how it impacted them. The room was alive, animated with conversation. We stumbled in on weary legs, met Jo, who had organized the event, and took a seat.

Because we had not been there early to shape the event, and because we were tired and a bit disoriented, we ended up together in a loose configuration, with Sally and I sitting together on the edge of the group, facing back toward the audience. It was not the true circle dialogue we usually work to create, and so the conversation had a different flavor than others we have had. It was more of a Q&A, with Sally and I set apart as some sort of “authority” or “expert”, and while we had some great interactions, I find myself missing what we could have had: a chance to hear from the hearts of everybody in the room. It was a good event, and we were so grateful that so many had come to see the film, so grateful for the support and encouragement and feedback. But it helped make clear to us how insistent we’ll need to be, on this tour, about creating circle, and dialogue. Because there’s a magic that becomes available in circle that we cannot access any other way.

We came to a close, thanked our sponsors and organizers, and rode with Tom and Phil north to their home in New York. My first time in the city. More on that soon.

Love to us all… Tim