For the past 2 1/2 years my hope has been on writing about a phenomenon but instead I continue to write about myself, my struggle, my misgivings and my lack of courage. The phenomenon itself is a bit obscure and ill defined. But the clues keep slapping me in the face until just today some light shines through the mist. I have not previously thought constructively about the bottom up process as opposed to the top down oppression handed down from the rich and powerful. How can the poor ever achieve a place in the sun. Is democracy dead? I think not. As long as we poor have our wits about us there is a chance though slim to gain some ground while the rich count their money and gloat over the stupidity of the poor.

As I was riding with several correctional officers  back from a fishing trip at Steinhatchee, I heard them talking about rounds, guns, different kinds of loads. They thought I was asleep so their conversation was easy and unfettered; very technical and they seemed to be in their element. I was struck by the intensity of their conversation and the knowledge that they shared. They knew their guns and ammo. It was obvious that they had all studied firearms carefully. But why bother with firearms as an issue? How would that save them from the economic disaster in the road ahead? 

In my half awake state I began to ponder about parallels. What are the parallels? Well, for the past several years I have been studying about a group process method while they have been studying about guns and ammo. Bingo....they are parallel because both group process and guns and ammo are instruments. Like knives and forks they wait to be picked up and used in some particular task. My knife and fork is "group process" and I have to find a way to bring the parallels into focus.  For that matter, I will really have to work hard to get theses officers to see group process as anything but fluff.