On Sunday October 15th, the Institute for Individual & World Peace (IIWP) hosted a Bar-B-Q and Seminar with the Travelers at Windermere Ranch. That part you may already know. What you might not know is the preparations that went into this event.
For weeks in advance the ranch staff (there are only three of them) labored to groom the land, the ponds and the horses to provide a welcoming and safe experience for their guests. But they did not work alone. Mother Nature helped. Two days before the event it rained off and on all day. Not the hard, drenching, mud making rains of winter but soft, gentle dust settling rains that cleaned the air, washed off the majestic rocks and made the trees glisten.
The day before the event the sky was bright and clear. Cold north winds blew fresh air all across the ranch while chasing the rain clouds away. That night the city lights twinkled brightly below while the hovering stars were arrayed like a shimmering celestial quilt.
The day of the event dawned with a gray overcast of wet and cold drizzle settling the dust again and causing the flies to remain dormant. The spreading network of oak trees grabbed the moisture laden mist with their cupped leaves concentrating the water into great drops which fell to the ground to nurture their roots, a technique that has assured their survival these many centuries.
By the time people began showing up, the clouds had parted to reveal a cool and gorgeous fall day. Mother Nature had done her part. Now it was the turn of the volunteers.
On Saturday Janet Caminite brought her volunteer crew up from Santa Barbara to work with the staff to haul the tables and the stage from the barn and set them up beside the newly refreshed ponds tingling with running water. Everyone was animated and motivated and the job took no time at all.
At last the big day arrived. At 8:00 a.m. the volunteer crew was back to set up the chairs and see to other last minute preparations. They were joined by the unsung heroes of NOW Productions who began the process of laying out the cables and equipment that would provide audio and video support for the Travelers as well as radio transmission to those of us who gathered to hear them. For these hardy veterans of service the day of an event begins long before the rest of us show up and ends long after we leave.
At 11:00 a.m. Woody’s, the company that prepared the food, showed up to start cooking their Bar-B-Q. Around the same time guests started to arrive and were warmly greeted by Beth Hinman of IIWP and her registration team.
As more people arrived, old timers and new comers mingled comfortably in the shade of the vibrant oaks. As usual it was the children who knew how best to make use of the land. Unfettered by the constraints of city life, they scampered about exploring everywhere. They quickly found the glimmering ponds, the gentle horses, and the hidden swings. Their shouts of glee and wonder echoed across the land in a day of adventure they will not soon forget.
By Noon, John-Roger and John Morton showed up to share the day with us and just in time too. Because at 12:15 p.m. it was time for grub and we lined up for the green salad, beans, potato salad, dinner rolls and freshly cooked tri-tip and chicken that Woody’s prepared for us (don’t let me forget to tell you about the wonderful desserts that the Santa Barbara volunteers brought with them. I wonder what happened to the leftovers).
Around 1:30 p.m., Lawrence and Janet Caminite, our MC’s called in the Light and welcomed us all to the ranch. They introduced Erik Albrecht who sang a couple of his songs. Then Nat Sharratt sang one of his original songs with Phil Danza playing back up. Then it was Jsu Garcia’s turn on stage and he brought us an original tune both humorous and poignant, with Phil once again providing the accompaniment.
Then came the main event. It was John Morton’s turn to take the stage. In one of his classic Question and Answer sessions, John shared with us about such concerns as fear, birth, health and life, assisting with our understanding of the human condition and the attunement to Spirit. As he spoke, the sun peaked out through the fluffy white clouds and the cool day warmed up a little.
When he ended his presentation with the words
