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It's apparent that intense Peace experiences bond people just as strongly as intense War experiences, only one of them doesn't involve killing people. Many of the Marchers i interviewed made reference to their fellows being literal family; some because of the strength of connections, some because they were disowned by their blood families for going on the March, and some like Katea and Brian, who met and married during the adventure. C.J. cites GPM reunions as the only place that "make me feel whole, loved, and cared for", while "Jypsy" Jim from Hawai'i characterizes them as "the densest concentrations of strong willed and actively conscious people that I have ever encountered". The affinity remains strong despite differences in philosophy and perspective.

Although they bonded over nuclear abolishment, the Marchers have greatly varying relationships with the issue today. At one end of the spectrum are those for whom the catastrophic finality of nuclear warfare is so realistic that disarmament remains their top issue, characterized as a "matter of survival" by Frank and by his wife Lynn as so important that without it "there can be no Peace." Coleen calls disarmament "the most critical battle that needs fighting today", and mourns the environmental mess being left to our world's children, as well as the "psychic numbing" that we practice as a nation in order to insulate ourselves against contemplating a nuclear catastrophe. Notably featured also are common desires that the United States take a lead in disarming, fear over the nuclear capabilities of Iran and unidentified "rogue entities", and emphasis on agreement, cooperation, leadership, and responsibility among the world's superpowers to maintain a state of disarmament. Many find nuclear weapons at least on equal footing with the myriad policy disasters that we find our nation facing lately, although several people cited these as "distractions", presumably from the more pressing issue for which they marched 21 years ago.
At another end of things, Jypsy Jim has taken a different approach to nuclear issues: abandoning them. "I have left that struggle behind," he says. "Making personal sacrifices, and beating my heart against some mad bugger's wall has only left me sore and bleeding. I have given up fighting against hell, in favor of building Heaven. It is easier to keep a positive attitude that way." As for disarmament being the key to Peace, Jim turns that on its head as well: "Peace is critical to nuclear disarmament, not the other way around. Nuclear disarmament will be a side effect when/if we manage to stabilize peace in a long term and sustainable way." Whatever their path, the Marchers continue to move forward.

Many Marchers followed the GPM with periods of intense activism, with some even earning their livings as organizers. But while the family of Marchers remain connected to the issues they care about, life sometimes gets in the way. Some are now parents and find their time and energy for protesting greatly reduced by those responsibilities. Others are aging and find the traditional sign-carrying and marching-in-the-streets to be too demanding on their bodies. Many, it seems, are taking creative, small-scale approaches: C.J. finds her strength in informing others about critical issues and truths, and Barbara uses the organizing and communication skills she learned on the March to urge change in her local community. Frank began donating blood while on the March and continues to do so, while James has explored documentary filmmaking. Liz has applied herself to journaling and research to examine society and what we can do instead of war. She values human connection as a real peace-building tool, and is developing self-esteem, listening, and social studies units designed to build understanding and respect. But as their activism evolves, the job of active protest passes to other hands.

As with most any long-term struggle, these nuclear abolitionists look mostly to the youth for the next stage of leadership and activism, although not always with great hope. Coleen is very disappointed in her own generation (the baby boomers) because she counted on them to make dramatic changes, and she doesn't see a strong youth movement happening to pick up where they left off. Others look to each individual's responsibility to make a positive change, and there are political figures to inspire hope as well. Frank looks to Dennis Kucinich and Maxine Waters for progressive leadership, as well as to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton in the struggle for justice. And as our global struggles continue, ripples of the March are felt far and wide, although sometimes faintly.

The most common and popular attribution to the March is that it may have played a hand in bringing down the Berlin Wall, according to some learned individuals and sheer timing. Strongly held is the belief and hope that the individuals and communities that were touched by the March were changed for the better, even if in indistinct ways. Many Marchers exhibit a kind of faith that their influence spread like ripples in a pond, and take the March at its personal face value while leaving the rest to history. An optimistic few saw the March as part of a swell that continues to this day of increased collective awareness. Sue Guist, author of Peace Like a River: A Personal Journey Across America, says "Wherever we are, whatever we do, has this awareness, this connection, in all our daily choices. We understand 'There is enough to share' and 'We are not in Control; we are in Trust'." However, there's a grim side to considering the Great Peace March's influence: while Frank credits the March with nothing less than preserving the existence of our world, Jim thinks that any potential good has since been smeared over with "terror". Whatever their diverse perspectives, it's clear that the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament was a galvanizing experience in community-building, conflict resolution, heart and soul activism, and life.

Life has spread many Marchers around our nation and planet, taking their leadership, skills, and passion with them...as well as a stronger ability to vote with their dollars as their incomes have matured. The Marchers aren't all spread thin, though: there are perhaps a dozen or more living in the Ojai Valley and surrounding areas. They are your neighbors and your friends, and they've been out to make the world a better and safer place for a very long time. Coleen - a local - says that her greatest gift from the March was "meeting the amazing people of this country. Whether they agreed with us or not they respected us and opened their homes to us. They gave what they could and they proved to me that no matter what your political persuasion, if you speak to people respectfully and listen back to them, you can actually communicate and walk away better people for having met." The experience changed every one of them, she says, and the influence extends to children and spouses.

And therein lies my connection. My wife and i were both six years old in 1986. She was marching across the country for Peace; i was riding a tricycle around in circles.
Here's to making up for lost time.

special thanks to Liz Tavis, Jim Bush, Sue Guist, Frank and Lynn Sahlem, Barbara Milazzo, Katea Smith, Carla Jones, Coleen Ashly, and one anonymous respondent for sharing their insights and stories with me, for continuing to stand for Peace, and for loving me as though i'd marched with them.