Walter Nels Funk and his Joy Ride to Vermont

I've been a complete slacker when it comes to writing on my blog and am sort of sorry about that. A very unexpected and amazing thing happened to me last week that I am still in the process of processing but think that sharing the experience here will be good for me and of interest to you, especially if you believe that miracles do happen everyday and that our thoughts are powerful in making things happen.

It all started two weekends ago when a friend who I had been canoeing with asked "You never speak of your father much. What's the story?". Before I began to give my friend the abbreviated history of my father, at least what I know, I uttered his name and proceeded to tell the story. His story.

Walter Nels Funk was born on Halloween in 1942, enlisted in the Navy from 1960 to 1968 as a sonar tech and communications specialist. He served on a few different destroyers during the Vietnam War. At 20 years of age, he had already met and married my wild at heart mother who gave birth to me in 1963. They divorced three years later and the father - daughter relationship was severed. I think his spirit and heart were wounded and never fully recovered which is why he now lives in the small community of Ola Idaho, population 100.

And that was that, or so I thought, until I arrived at work last Tuesday and had a message from my dad indicating that he would be arriving in town in less than an hour and was looking forward to seeing me. WTF?

The last time I spoke with my dad was about 8 months ago and he didn't mention anything about a plan to come visit. Unexpected visits in general, is not a wise idea and ill advised, especially if you are driving all the way across the U.S. in an '89 Pontiac Grand Prix with valves made of duct tape to visit your first born child because you feel compelled to do so. More amazing is that had Walter been delayed and arrived a day later, I would have already been gone for three days and the connection would have been missed.

I'm thankful that I had the chance to see him and am certain that he is too. So with that, Funk out and enjoy the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. I intend to fully engage is perpetuating some joy and love into the world and hope you do the same.

Peace.