Ma

A long time a ago, I owned and ran a restaurant in downtown Olympia. It was a quaint vegetarian/seafood place, with a focus on locally grown and organic foods. With the help of my mother, my girlfriend and several other friends I was able to own and operate my own business for 3 years. Then we had to close shop, due to a lack of income, ...well technically that is.



The failure of the Pleasant Peasant Restaurant and even the opening of it were driven largely by fear. I was fearful that if I did not take the opportunity to buy the restaurant at that moment it was presented, that I would not have another chance to do so. I was afraid that If I did not come up with some sort of economic plan that I would end up in poverty for the rest of my life. I was afraid that my family and peers would look at me as a failure, if I did not do something with my life that 1.) changed the world. 2.) made me a little renown. Towards the end, the financial fears were cumulative and completely dispiriting.


Perhaps if I had managed to work some sort of goal relating to the monetary success of the business, I would still be working there. Actually, I lacked lots of prerequisites for operating a viable company. Mostly though, I wasn't convinced that I was where I wanted to be. In the end I ended up accomplishing both goals, though not in the way I had anticipated.


This morning your mother and I are headed to a breakfast potluck. This is the second of gatherings that aim to reunite everyone involved in what was, in the end, a respectable attempt to change the world for the better. We all had our various takes on what we were doing, and I think we affected our local world in a positive way, generally speaking. There will be ex-girlfriends, old flames and old conceptions present, I am sure. The caliber of the people attending though, ensure these to be in passing. At one time though, at least for me, some of these people evoked heady emotions and in some cases anger and confusion. It is by these kind people's grace (and mine as well I suppose) that we all meet, in what I suspect will be harmony.


I wanted to make special note of your mother, Owen. Who for the past year or so has shown a lot of trust and patience in agreeing to accompany me to the various
functions that have reunited me with so many people from my past. She has shown graciousness and true friendliness in situations that I would find VERY challenging. So, know this about your mother......she is a kind, loving soul who has sacrificed much of her comfort, to aid both you and I. It is up to us to let her know it is appreciated.