Walking off and away from Trump

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more."

Lord Byron

LISBON, Maine — We needed to take a long walk in the woods after watching Donald Trump say nothing and loom over Hillary Rodham Clinton like a stalker in a dark alley in Sunday’s debate.

Civility was not on Sunday night’s agenda when the two competitors went head to head for 90 painful minutes. As a family, we are appalled that the man with his filthy mouth and lack of substance is still in the running for president.

I have no confidence in a presidential candidate who has no respect for the opposite sex and no concept of the greater good.

Yeah, I am a liberal democrat who will support Mrs. Clinton despite the email controversy.

Why? None of your damn business! Let’s just say you can’t reason with a narcissist — ever! After all, I am originally from from Massachusetts — and that’s Kennedy country.

Watch PBS' Frontline episode called "The Choice" and you will get the big picture of this horse race.

I voted once for a GOP candidate — and I still regret it. But this candidate might just tear apart the Republican Party with his senseless tirades.

While Republicans spent the weekend abandoning the Donald like passengers on the sinking Titanic, we decided to cleanse our souls of the exasperating Mr. Vile and drove to a place where the soothing waters  of the rambling Sabattus River washed away our disgust of a man who treats the Oval Office like a big joke.

My son was home for college and a long walk on the Paper Mill Trail was the right prescription to clear our heads of the traumatic experience of watching another round inanity from the overbearing GOP contender.

The Paper Mill Trail is our favorite haunt. It is paved, safe and the sound of the river’s waters can wipe away anxiety from stressed-out voters who experienced PTSD after Sunday's debate.

The walk is easy and the inclines give you a good workout. Right now, the colors of the foliage are brilliant on the trail and the stunning shades made the three off us feel pretty damn good on a chilly autumn day.

The cool air and the sweet sound of fast-moving water put a spring in our step on the trail where many other walkers had the same idea.

We felt refreshed after our two-mile walk in the sunshine and hopeful that the citizens of this nation will make an informed decision.

But then again, stranger things have happened in politics and some voters are easily swayed by a candidate's empty promises and antics.

Walking for a cure and my father

“It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” 

― Rose Kennedy

LEWISTON — We took a long walk for a good cause on a chilly Sunday morning.

A couple of hundred people tagged along to raise money for “The Long Goodbye,” also know as Alzheimer’s — the devastating disease of the brain.

It is the scourge of the elderly and the bastard killed my father. For me, this murderer is the enemy of the state and needs to be put down with a powerful drug. The medical community has declared war on this SOB, but so far, there is no cure or a way to slow its progression despite all the research.

For four years, I was helpless as Albert John Blasi’s mind faded away. He raised four good kids, and was a compassionate teacher and coach. He succumbed to Alzheimer's on on Nov. 8, 2014. Those last hours of his life were enough to trigger depression in all of us.

So my wife and I walked through New Auburn and along the the Androscoggin River as a chilly autumn wind gave us a head’s-up that winter would be making a return engagement in the Pine Tree State. We walked with people who either lost a loved one to the disease or were in the midst of taking care of a stricken family member.

There’s not much you can do when Alzheimer’s targets a loved one. You experience the horrible pain as a loved one slowly disappears into the night. There is no cure for this malevolent killer, which robs victims of their cherished memories.

Alzheimer’s, like every killer disease, is simply cruel. I watched my father struggle to remember or speak and eventually he forgot how to eat — and there is not damn thing I could do except watch him die.

So we walked, talked and traded memories of my father during our three-mile trek. Terri and I had insightful conversations about Big Al. I thought him with each step I took and found the grief still lingers and impossible to shake.

We donated money, listen to people speak about loved ones battling the disease and then followed the course mapped out by dedicated volunteers. Donors were given flower pinwheels and were planted in the park.

But instead of being consumed by depression, we decided to take active steps to do something — anything — about this mind robber.

Sometimes, you think all the fundraising and goodwill are just futile attempts to stamp out the disease and make us feel good. But once you get involved, you feel like you are taking evasive action and no longer a bystander watching the suffering.

Participating in fundraising events might help families avoid this long ordeal, but time is of the essence for all those slipping away.

So open your wallets, take a long walk with caring people and go the distance for a cure for Alzheimer’s. Being involved is one way to battle grief, helplessness and an opportunity to eliminate this disease.