Couch Surfing USA - The One I Said Yes To

Recently I did a post about Couch Surfing and I fear I've given the wrong impression. They're not all crazies.

In spite of my own surfing experience with the Jesus People Commune in Chicago (which was great, btw), and the requests I've gotten from the Amish farm boy and the Iranian pen pal, Couch Surfing has thousands of intelligent, compassionate, regular corn flake-eating folks.

The organization is made up of people who love to travel and connect with other people and cultures.

And those, like me, too cheap in stay in a hotel.

Because of scheduling, I've had to turn down requests from artists doing the festival circuit, from musicians on tour, from Dads doing cross country trips with sons, from Moms taking their daughters on college visits.

And what could be more normal and idyllic than Moms and daughters traveling together, sleeping on stranger's couches and fighting over the hair dryer?

Now, having made that disclaimer, this is the dude I said yes to.

Fellow Human Being:

He started out last November in Santa Monica and is walking across the country to gain attention for Talkingaboutus.com.

Now in terms of marital harmony, this wasn't the best time to have strange people in our home. But this guy's mission intrigued me. And when he arrived I had lots of questions.

Dude, I said, as he put down his backpack, where's the wine? You don't expect to sleep on my couch and not present your host with wine do you?

No wine. Adds too much weight apparently.

So I offered him a beer (he told me he could indeed drink and walk) and we sat down to a traditional midwest meal of Little Caesar's $5.00 pizza.

Unknown Person preceded to tell us about his mission, but I had more questions: Dude, have you slept under bridges, have you slept in cemeteries?

Yes, bridges. Yes, cemeteries. Yes to accidentally camping in someone's backyard and having to deal with police at dawn.

And what kind of walking shoes do you recommend?

Meg, Spouse scolded, let him talk about his message.

Oh. Sorry. But did Adidas sponsor you?

Meg!

My purpose, he told us, is to connect with, and stimulate, the individual's capacity for broader and deeper self awareness.

Ahem. Dude, I asked, do you have a Cliff Notes version--for the kids of course?

Well, he continued, I believe the overwhelming majority of people sincerely want a better world, not just for themselves, but for each other as well. But what we want, and what we get, are not aligned and this implies that we are missing something.

Umm. Missing something? I'm not sure I get it.

I believe since the beginning of our history human beings have been naturally growing towards greater self discovery, and unity. He took a swig of beer. Look at the historical development of human equality, such as civil rights, the women's right to vote.

Hmm. Women's rights? I'm not quite sure I get it.

I also believe the first and foremost larger force to affect the common person is where, and to what degree, they themselves direct their own awareness. . .

Hold on, Dude, don't you have this narrowed down to a sound byte? I mean, what is it you're trying to say here?

Let him talk, Spouse reprimanded.

He continued. There are aspects of our own nature that can cause us to unconsciously loose sight of what we really care about.

Hmm. Lost sight? I'm still not sure.

This happens when these parts of our nature get into the driver's seat and make more immediate, instinctual and short sighted objectives into our highest priorities.

Hmm. I'm struggling here. Can you give me some examples? I asked.

Spouse rolled his eyes.

Sure. Some classic examples of this are: When two people who have the integrity of their shared love as an ultimate objective nevertheless each relentlessly pursue the lesser objective of "being right".

"Being Right"? BINGO.

I get it! I said excitely, Dude, you're a traveling marriage counselor!! Which is just what the doctor ordered!

Kids, off to bed now!!

Like every smart Walker Across America, Unknown Person is media saavy. Good luck Dude!

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