I've been growing, healing, moving in fits and starts down "the way" that leads back to the great path. When I can, rather than fight the river and surely drown, I let it take me where it will, and learn from what it shares with me.
Some years ago I met Laura because on our way to the great path, ours crossed. We have been on and off walking for a while, working on being present. So at one point when time and space conspired to have us within relative proximity and she suggested lunch, I agreed. Two years ago that. For me it was a big step. I got up early (for me at the time) and drove the 50 miles up to Dayton from Cincinnati. Several hours later we were both back on the road, me to "home" and her to her Dad's house. It was a big step for me.
She's since become convinced I need to move to Tucson. My plan has been to head home to Colorado. I joked that I'd need to visit Tucson, explore some, get a feel for it before I'd consider it. After all, my first move to Colorado so long ago was a result of a business trip there. I got a taste and was hooked. I let Earl take me from Colorado years ago, but with him gone now, my plan has been to go home one day soon.
That was two years ago. I am not the same person I was, nor is Laura, but our relationship has grown. Last year during her annual pilgrimage to her father's house I met her in Dayton again, and had more fun. Grew further because instead of just going up for lunch, I went up and stayed overnight at a Motel there and we had dinner and breakfast together. Still she spoke of her enduring love for the Sonoran desert and her belief that I needed to move there.
And then she hatched an evil plot.
So December 9th after carefully planing, packing, and consulting with the weather God's, I set out in the Jumper toward her desert home. As much about house and pet sitting while she and her boyfriend spend the holiday's with her Dad, as it was part of her evil plan to get her desert into my soul, I spent the last month there. Yes, I drove almost four thousand miles round trip to house and pet sit. But the logic was irrefutable. I already knew and loved Emily (her Portie) and was certain that I'd have no problems with her other four legged people. It would have cost her a small fortune to board them and they would have been stuck in cages and only periodically walked. By driving down to the desert I'd be lessening their suffering, Laura would be able to rest easy and enjoy her trip knowing the wee ones were loved and free instead of locked in cages for more than a week. It made sense all the way around.
On the 16th of January I bade farewell to the Sonoran desert and set course for my "Temporary Home" in Ohio. The trip out and back, the more than a month I spent there, and the people I shared time with will be part of me forever. Having now had a taste of the Sonoran desert I know I want more. Laura's path and mine crossed some time ago, and we've been now and again walking together, even riding together, sharing what we know, and lending a hand and caring heart as we go. You just know I had to bring my bike with me right? There will be more to follow on the subject, this is just a warm up. This is just to say that Laura's evil plan has borne fruit, I enjoyed my time in the desert and all the paths of other people that crossed mine while I was there.
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