A.M. Today is the anniversary of the Soviet Constitution of 1977. Back when I was growing up it was important enough to be holiday and we got a day off from school. I suppose in celebration of that I had a dream about Stalin. I've been having those dreams about once every 3-4 months. The theme is always the same. I am back in the time of his rule, am facing him, and trying to find the courage to defy him in his face. I am scared at first, but then remember that God is behind me and I have no reason to fear. Once he sees I am not afraid of him, he vanishes in some form. In tonight's version I told him I knew it was 1953 and his days were numbered. I was going to be executed by a firing squad, but the prison nurse said I was very sick and even showed some made-up evidence, and they had a law that you could be executed until you got better. That gave me the three days I needed for Stalin to die.
I wonder why I keep having those dreams, or rather what they mean if they mean anything. My family was affected by Stalin's rule greatly. My mother's father died after about 8 years in the camps. My father's father miraculously survived 18 years. My father's mother was afraid to speak her mind even to her children regarding the subject, and did not do so until after Stalin's death. But not quite right away. Even though she was not too fond of dead bodies, she went to the mausoleum (originally Stalin was put there with Lenin, but then was taken out - Lenin is still there) twice to make sure Stalin was really dead. Ran 3.08 at Grandview with Jeff in a glorious time of 26:40. That is 8:38 average. P.M. 2 with Benjamin at Grandview in 15:53. He chased a female soccer player around the field for a while at close to 6:00 pace. But she was taking short cuts, and eventually stopped, so he never got the pleasure of passing her. That was the fastest I've run since the marathon. Then 2 more with Jenny in 18:16. Julia ran 1.53 with us in 14:37. 0.5 with Joseph and Benjamin on the road in 4:54.
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