Day 6

I woke up yesterday from a chair outside Starbucks in Vacaville, CA at 4:00am. I heard the morning Starbucks crew opening the doors. I stayed awake sitting in the chair until 4:30 when they opened the lobby. As soon as I went in I sat in the corner chair (soft) and put my things down and fell right back asleep. 
    I woke up for good at about 9:30. As I woke up I did my usual glance at my things to make sure they were there. As I looked down I saw something next to my backpack. It was a one dollar bill. I had a feeling right away it was gonna be a good day. Not because of the money but more just a feeling something bigger would come to me(again not money).
    I went to the bathroom with my backpack to wash up. I don't mind leaving my sleeping bag unattended because I doubt someone would steal that. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and took my vitamins. When I came back out there was a couple sitting near me having coffee. After a few minutes the gentleman turned towards me. He said he saw my sign that said donate for japan and wondered what my journey was about. After I shared with Brad and Michelle Elders the truth about my journey. They were really happy to hear about it, and thought it was great to be finding true happiness in following my heart. They told me I really reminded them vividly of their son Russell who is in the US air force. They said if he wasn't in the air force that they bet he would join me in my travels. They asked questions about my family and how they felt or if they worried. I told them for the most part I have great support and those who questioned my decision to do this are quickly coming around. I also stay in close touch to them and talk to them daily during my travels. Michelle asked if she could call my mother to let her know I was doing good and that she was so happy to meet me and support me. It made me smile but told her I talk to my mom everyday and that she knows I'm doing ok. The Elders were extremely good hearted people. She said there was a book I should read. It was her son Russells favorite and was an amazing story similar to what I was doing. She wanted to go home and grab it for me but I told her it was ok as my pack was jam packed already. She said she will email me about it so I can read it in the future. Me and the Elders talked for about 30 minutes. They were really happy for me and proud of the journey. Brad Asked if they could pray for my safe travels and protection before they left. I said "of course!". I wouldn't turn anyone in the world down who wanted to wish me protection and well being. They said some very generous words for me. After they prayed for me I hugged them both and took a picture with them. They gave me a donation and got all my information to stay in contact and follow my journal. Later in the day I would receive emails from them and had a facebook request too. Thank you so much Elders. Meeting you was awesome. 
    Just as I was finishing my journal entry for the day a man approached me. He had been there a while working on his computer and decided to come up to ask what my story was. He said he had actually read part of my journal/blogs online and figured he would just come up and talk in person since I was there. His name was Elijah Young. I Bagan telling him about my reasons of travel. He went back to his table and grabbed his things then joined me. I told him for about 10 minutes what my journey was about and he said "it's amazing". He wanted to talk to me a little about his story as it related to what I was going through. Elijah was raised loving music and eventually performed. He was a musician in hollywood area in Los angels, CA. He was signed to a record deal young and played in the la area often. He also had a very high paying job and he and his wife had very nice cars and things. He was in a grind and a hustle and worked hard doing it. He was constantly finding himself around famous people as he dined or visited places where other people with good money hangout. He had a life that most people dream of but for some reason he was never happy. He would come home stressed out very often from work and many other things in his life. He was very confused how the great life he had didn't consist of happiness in his own heart. He said his life looked very good from far to a lot of people but up close if you really knew him was not a happy life hardly at all. He hated to use it but he quoted puff daddy saying "more money more problems" and said it's the truth. He eventually came to a point of rock bottom and knew there was something more to life. He began a long hard search to find a greater truth and really being happy. After going through a long transformation he followed his heart and it brought him to being recruited as a pasture to Fairfield, ca. He lives in Vacaville but works at a church in the next town. This place for him was extremely different to what he was used to and the new lifestyle he has taken on is far different than the Hollywood hustle he was used to. Since he has followed his journey he has found his heart to be truly happy and his family together and stronger than ever. He told me his story because it was similar to what I'm experiencing but his on a bigger scale. We found that we were both people who gave up a lot and let a lot of things go to search for a bigger and more real truth. A truth that your heart really takes you too. He was so exited for me because my journey is so young. He said only great things are coming and he is anxious to see where this bold decisions will lead me to. That made me so exited and he explained his feeling and thoughts about it to me very clearly. The great thing about Elijah is that he was so open and honest. He told me about his questions in life and other thoughts he pondered often, things that made no sense to him. And I told him mine. It was amazing because it was real and raw truth. After 2 hours of talking he said he honestly forgot I was homeless and not from here. He said it felt like I was just a friend who was hanging out. We ended up talking for a total of 4 hours! I think that's got to be the longest I have talked to a complete stranger just meeting someone like that. In my whole life, not just the journey. I thought that was awesome. Elijah told me he believes what I'm doing will bring something big. He said he feels like I will find something amazing and things will find me. He said that how my heart is in this and dedicated to find a truth and happiness that amazing things are coming. He was pumped that I'm in it for the right reasons. Because he was so exited for me I became more exited for myself as well. And the truth is, great things have already come. He was an amazing person to talk to and I didn't feel at all like I was talking to a pasture. He asked me if I would speak at his church to share my journey. I think in the future I just may do that. He got all my information and story and said he would share it with his church. He also said he will have them pray for my protection and safety on my journey, and that my heart finds what it is looking for. It's pretty cool that I didn't even do anything and in the next week or so, many people will be speaking in their minds hoping I will have a safe journey. People that I don't know and have never met. That's incredible! That is powerful and the power of peoples thoughts are proving to be a very strong thing. Me and Elijah talked for a long time sharing real stories and real thoughts. As a matter of fact he also said he had a whole day of work planned but dropped everything because talking to me was much more valuable. That meant a lot to me. It was a great 4 hours and I was glowing. I got to meet his family and that was great too because they were such a big part of his journey. His wife and two kids were all very good people to be around. His little daughter gave me a dollar and was so cute. They offered to have me stay with them for the night but I told them I will be just fine and would be traveling away from there that night. Before he left we got a picture together and hugged. He said he will stay in touch. 
    In my journey (whatever it turns out to be) I am as open minded as possible. I don't know exactly where my journey will take me or my thoughts, but I have that feeling it's gonna be good. My traveling to japan will be amazing to me too. I have that strong feeling. Anyone I meet in the mean time I am very open to as long as it's real. I love hearing peoples stories and experiences and what people have been through. It amazes me to hear all these things and exposes me to different powerful things. I love people truths no matter what they are and feel the power behind them. No matter what it is, even Trungs story of pain hit me just as hard as any. I don't think anyone can go wrong if they speak from their hearts and I can't imagine ever denying any form of love or faith. ( inless it's something crazy like suicide bombers ect.) 
    It was an amazing day and once again Starbucks brought some incredible people into my life. I'm a homeless guy wearing Jeans and a plad jacket. I have a cammo backpack and a red sleeping bag. I represent my truth as a homeless man and these great amazing things have come to me. I know they won't come every day but when they do find me it blows my mind. 
     I really can't believe the support I have been getting in emails and messages. I receive messages from people around the country and now even the world! People who I don't even know and who don't know me. They thank me for what I'm doing and say my entries really touch them. I know the things I experience are awesome but I didn't think people would enjoy it through my writing. Never! The support I am getting I can't even hardly believe. It has been so awesome! It's really a miracle and never imagined my life to have this in it. 
    I am very happy to let my readers know that Jenny ( the organic farmer) here visiting from china now has a day planned to visit around San Francisco. My cousins Jeremy and Christy will take her to eat authentic spanish food that she has never had, and will also get to visit the beech that she was really dreaming to see. Thank you Jeremy and Christy! 
    After I finished my journal entry in the evening and talked to some friends and family I took off to a park. I found it on the gps in a residential area down the road a mile. On the way there a car full of teenagers pulled up next to me and a kid in the back seat asked me "you trying to buy a bottle for us?" they were all under aged but looking for someone 21 or older to buy their alcohol for them (also known as shoulder tapping, I used to do that). Right as he was finishing asking me a girl in the front seat said "he's a bum, keep driving". And they burned out and took off. I laughed. It was funny to me because I had such a powerful amazing day and then hours later I was called a "bum" on the street. I smiled and thought; "I wonder if someone they know might hear about me from Elijah at church. Maybe they hear about my story or this journal on the blogpage. I wonder what they would think if they later found out I wasn't the "bum" they thought I was." that may never happen but the possibility was amusing. I wasn't gonna buy them liquor either way and wasn't truly bothered by being called a bum in that situation. I arrived at the park. It was a residential area that was quite and nice. It was pretty wide open and mostly grass. I decided the best place to stay was in the center as all four sides of the park were streets. The center would keep me less visible from cars driving around. I figured I would be woken up by something in the morning but that was fine. And I also thought if someone comes up at night and tries to kick me out I would say I was just traveling through raking a nap and I will move on down the road. It was real quite when I laid down except for a dam mooing cow. I had no clue where there would have been a cow as all I saw on the map were housing all around the area. I was a bit confused but it was for sure a cow. It wasn't that loud but the fact it made me think so much annoyed me and kept me awake. So eventually I put on my headphones to listen to music. I prayed that I wouldn't be hacked up in the middle of the night then went to sleep at midnight.
   
 Because of popular demand anyone who wants to send donations this is the address, 2600 loguat ave. Patterson CA 95363