Visitor Comments

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# Hey Ben

Hey ben you are awsome keep up the good work

By JL on Sunday, 28 March - 11:46 pm -0800

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# i love you

to ben me and my family have been cheering about you well we cart
stay hear olday so by by i love you

By liam tracy and graham on Sunday, 28 March - 11:32 am -0800

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# go ben

i think you alittle bit older

By liam tracy and graham on Sunday, 28 March - 11:17 am -0800

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# Negative Comments

I too am surprised at the negative comments to you, Ben. And as life would have it I got an e-mail that puts it into perspective for me. I share this with all of your worldly community. Soory that it is so lengthy but but it is worth the reading.
Your efforts are amazing you have created a global village of us all.
Please enjoy.
#1269 Wings Over The Mountains of Life



You Will Meet Them Too
===================

MountainWings.com has over a million subscribers in over 2,000
cities and 125 countries. The vast majority is silent and most
that do speak are very kind and complimentary.

Approximately one in every few thousand is totally obnoxious
and vulgar. They will write and the email will be loaded with
curse words, and derogatory statements; you name it, they write
it. They rudely demand to be removed from the list when all it
takes to be removed is about 10 seconds with a quick click to
the website.

It no longer bothers us, it did at first, but you get used to
it. You begin to see the spirit behind it and eventually feel
more compassion than anger. They are often hurting very deeply
themselves and only know how to lash out as they have been
lashed out against.

The reason that I am telling you this is that sooner or later,
you will meet them too, just as MountainWings does.

At work, in the family, at the mall, on the golf course, in the
gym, at church, or even a faceless foreign enemy, sooner or
later you will meet someone that for reasons that have nothing
to do with you, will violently lash out at you.

The first temptation when that happens to you is to fight fire
with fire. The key to that phrase is "fight." An angry violent
person will draw you into a fight, if you let them.

You have three choices when you meet them.

1. Fight - Return blow for blow, an eye for an eye. They curse
- you curse, they swing - you swing, they glare - you glare,
that's the essence of fighting. In a fight, not only do you
return blow for blow, but also you try to get in more blows.
You end up trying to out curse, out shout, out glare, and out
hate the enemy.

2. Ignore Them - Say nothing, do nothing, become numb to them,
and hope they go away.

3. Return Love for Hate - Each of these gets harder to do.
Loving your enemy is not an easy thing to do. It goes against
every nerve cell in the body and our cultural training.

Jesus told us to do that. I now understand why.

Anger and hate kill, not just the other person, but you.

Anger and hate will raise your blood pressure, irritate your
nerves, tense your entire body, and even constipate you.
There is a long list of physical illnesses that are caused by
mental stress. Anger and hate lead the list in causing stress
just as love leads the list in relieving stress.

I thought Jesus said Love Your Enemy to help the other person.
It helps the other person, but the greatest benefit is to you.

There was a particularly nasty note from a 12-year-old boy.
I was astounded that a 12-year-old would talk that way.

Each time I see a virulent email, I now bow my head and pray for
the peace of that person. Hopefully the prayer helps them.

I too have the three choices: I can get mad and respond in the
same violent manner, I can ignore it but not really, it will
still burn inside of you with a small flame, or I can pray for
the peace of that person.

When I pray for their peace, it brings my peace.
I understand now that loving your enemy is really loving
yourself.

Remember this when you meet them, for surely you will.

They will curse and fuss, huff and puff, and stare and glare,
criticize and taunt you for something that is not your fault.

Remember it's not you who has caused the real pain, those
wounds are more likely from an age long before you.

Learn to pray for them, learn to love them, for surely as you
read this, sooner or later, you will meet them.

Be prepared to Love them; you need it.


~A MountainWings Original~

By idly on Saturday, 27 March - 10:04 pm -0800

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# Keep it up..

My family and I are cheering for you. You have such a positive attitude.
It will get you thru this adventure..

By Chuck Hamilton on Saturday, 27 March - 09:22 pm -0800

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# Good Work!

You go guy!! Keep up the good work and your spirits too. God bless!

By cateye on Saturday, 27 March - 08:22 pm -0800

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# YIPPEE!

What can I say, I'm from Texas. . .Yippee, Yi, Yay, Yi, Yoe. Instead of cattle, you are pushing feet.

Well, anyway. . .

Just found out why the ice doesn't melt, since the water is warmer. Do any of the school kids know that one?

Keep up the good work Ben, we are all very proud of you here in Texas!
Cissy

By Cissy on Saturday, 27 March - 07:45 pm -0800

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# A New Song Please

We liked your song. Can you write us another one about Polar Bears footprints? How many footprints have you seen? We like your sledge as well. Christine (5 years) and Arthur (3 years).

By Dave Candeland on Saturday, 27 March - 07:19 pm -0800

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# Fortitude

Hi, Ben
Steel fortitude, comes to mind, marveling at today's 7 nautical mile gain, and 8.5 hours of travel! Stellar job. Additionally, appears you have made a tactical decision, regarding the boot conundrum. I can't imagine, the multitude of choices and challenges, you encounter on an hourly basis. For example, solving a frozen sleeping bag, dude. Rock on bro, till the next dispatch...
-Scot
San Luis Obispo, Ca.

By Scot Morrison on Saturday, 27 March - 07:11 pm -0800

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# Message from my son Jimmy

Jimmy asks you if you you could say hi to Santa Claus when you get to the north pole. Ben you have a heavy load to pull so you don't have to bring any presents. I am 6.75 years old. My birthday is June 9th. Before i go to sleep at night I will pray for you so you will be safe from polar bears and falling through the ice. I hope you can sleep good with the big chunk of ice on your sleeping bag. Good luck to you Ben.
Signed Jimmy

By Andy Stokman on Saturday, 27 March - 05:17 pm -0800

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# go man!

yeah, seeing how much you already walked since the last time i checked (sorry for beeing away phisically from my computer - in spirit i was still with you - but i had an awful lil' week ) leaves me in awe! Great Ben! Good luck again and again and again. sorry for the boot, i'm gonna think about a solution though i think you already tried your best. i hope it keeps working.
Rhea praying, raindancing and wishing you well :)

By Rhea on Saturday, 27 March - 05:04 pm -0800

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# Foot folly

Hi Ben, glad to read things are improving; ice, distance, and your spirits. You had mentioned repairing your foot instead of your boot, is that correct? Are your feet chaffed or worse? Just curious as I work in the health care setting; nurse/paramedic/lab assistant. Keep on Keepin' on.

By George Fudge on Saturday, 27 March - 05:04 pm -0800

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# On to the 84th!

Hiya Ben! I'm happy to read that your sledge is getting lighter by the day and that you have more light every day! It's nice to read that you got a good ski in and making progress. You'll see...it will get better and better for you. I'm confident you'll be fine with your boots and I'm relieved that what you're doing is working. I really didn't have a doubt in my mind otherwise. Onward to Sunday and I wish you peaceful rest tonight and wonderful conditions for Sunday! -- Nikki

By Nikki on Saturday, 27 March - 04:26 pm -0800

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# Deep Water

I see your sprits are up & you are moving that red dot closer to the pole every day. How do you get that sledge across open water? I thought it would float but see I'm wrong.
Keep on truckin Ben you can do it.
80 degrees in Sin City today.
Bill

By Bill Caddoo on Saturday, 27 March - 04:21 pm -0800

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# Hi Ben

Hi Ben,
Keep it up, you will do it, boots'n' all. You continue to inspire.

By David Butler on Saturday, 27 March - 03:49 pm -0800

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# wooooohooooo!!!!!!

that is what we said when we looked at the map and your blip has reached a circular line(no ideas what they called.lines of latitude is it.

Now it looks like you really moving.

Fantastic!

By jessie(Alfie aged9) on Saturday, 27 March - 03:40 pm -0800

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# Got in some good distance today!

Good for you Ben! Glad that boot situation ain't keeping ya' down! Power through..you crazy bastard you! Hope your sleepingbag isn't soaked or a frozen rock! Keep taping that foot...crazy...but...if it works..go for it! Get a good nights rest & MAKE TRACKS TOMM!!! Peaceout...Tina..NH

By tina..NH on Saturday, 27 March - 02:51 pm -0800