A day to sleep in but I'm a morning person really

or I just suffer from insomnia. I really haven't been sleeping well this last month or so and its beginning to take its toll on me. Oh well I'll rest when I am dead as the song goes. Yesterday was a surreal experience for me. We had the pleasure of walking around Selma Alabama with Ms. Joann Bland who was 8 years old when she participated in the march from Selma to Montgomery on Sunday March 7th. Her testimony about what she saw and heard was moving. It gave me a chilling mental picture that I wish wasn't as real as my mind made it. I woke up choking from one nightmare as if the tear gas was actually in my room. I constantly am thinking to myself that what these people experienced and went through all for freedoms that should have been giving willingly and without a fight is absolutely incredible. And to do it in a non-violent way, I am constantly at a war with myself and this world and unfortunate as it is to say to be truthful my anger fuels me most of the time. Anger is a powerful force but I think the movement's choice of love and gentleness and peace is as close to invincible as one comes to outside of the comic books. Walking over the Bridge yesterday I completely let go of my fear of man-made heights which has plagued me since I was little and I just shut my eyes and let the voices of those around me bring me to a time called 1965. My heart skipped a few beats as we made it to the apex of the bridge and I looked down. It was as if the sunlight was playing a trick on me but I swore for a flash I saw the police men and reporters and the cars and the bystanders and in me I felt scared. That was only for a moment though. Once we got down to the bottom Dane gave a bomb oral report on John Lewis right beside the memorial they have there and Dr.T gave us some time to explore the park which they had on the side of the bridge. I loved that part. They had a few paths but I had more fun wandering of into the woods as I always do. I made a way down to the Alabama river and soaked my feet in it for a moment or two before tramping off to see what else I could see. I could of spent all day there once I found a rock laying in the sunlight and which I sat and wrote a few reflections down. Eventually we were forced back on the bus but than we got to go to the Civil War and Slavery museum. That was so cool and I think if more people went they would of enjoyed it just as much. A lot of people on this trip keep talking about America and how we are to proud of a history that is not very flattering and that they really aren't proud of America and just stuff like that. I've studied one of America's most controversial times since I was real young and it never occurred to me not to be proud of my country because of this. I mean no country is perfect just like no person is perfect. I can imagine that the Germans still have some national sense of pride even after WWII and England is certainly proud of England even though its colonial grip left many countries screwed in the end. I do agree that America has become more arrogant which is the ugly sister of pride but I don't believe that is any reason for me to not like this country. Our ancestors have made bad decisions and have done horrible things, let us learn from that and keep from repeating their mistakes and build an America that future generations can be proud about. Well I'm going to go try that sleep thing now or maybe go for a run. Take Care