"Let go of your attachment to the outcome."

Things went well at the university yesterday, considering how poorly prepared I was. I must truly and gratefully thank my friend Jeff for helping out. A seasoned public speaker, with a great ability to relay facts and logic leading to our current political situation, he took the pressure off of me, and made the talk far more interesting to the students than I could have. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty weak, both physically and mentally, and had trouble pulling myself together---mentally, physically, and verbally.  Some of the students seemed disinterested, but some seemed to be truly involved with our talk.  A few asked if we really thought that what we were doing would make a difference.  "Do you really think that by not eating you will stop this war????"  No, probably not.  However, there are 5,000 of us involved in this movement, and there is strength in numbers.  We all have to do what we can, what we feel compelled to do.  Jeff said that it helped him sleep at night to know that he was acting in response to his beliefs.  He stressed what I started this blog with.  Don't become too focused on, or attached to the outcome.  Do what you can do now.  Several students came up with ideas of their own.  One even came up with the idea of calling the Fulton paper to say that she had heard me speak on campus, and that I said that I had been interviewed, but that she hadn't seen the story run yet.  I was so pleased to see the metaphorical light bulb turn on over her head.  I told her that it was a great idea, that it was the perfect example of a small thing that an individual could do that may wind up impacting a great number of people.
This morning, the day that everyone in town gets the paper delivered for free, my interview and picture appeared.  It's not on the front page, but it's on the back--which is the next best thing.  It's at the top of the page, with a large head-line:
                                 
                               No food for thought
      Pacifist stops eating to support troops

I kind of wish that the headline had somehow included that I was showing support for the troops and the Iraqi's, but that is clear in the story.  And I suppose that some people may read this who otherwise may not have.  I realize that the most important thing is to get my message out, but good lord, could I look any fatter in that picture???? (click on that to read article)
 
People will see it and think, "well, it kind of looks like she needs to quit eating for another month or so".  Okay, it's not quite that bad, but I'm definitely slumping, have my legs squished together, and my arms pushed against my sides.  About everything that one could do to look fat.  Okay, that's just the self-conscious "chick" in me coming out, I'll stop now.  I was wrong--I have to add that I'd just gotten out of the shower and was towel-drying my hair during the interview, and don't have any make-up on.  Okay, that's really it.  Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the story.  There are several places, of course, where I read it and think, "wait a minute, I finished that thought with..."  or whatever, but all in all, I think it's a pretty fair representation of our interview.