I sat in the bathtub last Sunday, nursing sour legs and savoring the feeling of the day. Daryle and I had gone to Washington County to ride bikes on the new rails-to-trails multi use trail that goes from Calais to Ellsworth. Glorious day... sun but not too warm, trail perfect for riding, beautiful path along Machias Bay and up a river toward East Machias. I covered 27 miles on that ride! A first for me. As I recovered in the warm water of the bath, Daryle turned up the radio in the next room. WBOC was playing Appalachian Spring - Amazing. That was the music we played before our wedding 38 years ago. It held all of the hope and promise which we saw in starting our life together. It has been good. We settled in Maine, raised two wonderful children, worked in jobs which were worth doing and which challenged us, and learned to love the offerings of the State of Maine. We truly grew as "individuals and a family together". In a weeks time Daryle will retire from full time work. I retired almost 2 years ago. Our journey continues with new opportunities and new challenges. The hope in the music of Appalachian Spring resonates today as much as it did 38 years ago. It has deepened, as have we. The chords are more resonant; the melody moves more lightly; simplicity is the gift. It is good to hear the music with different ears.
Our Journey will focus this summer on a drive from Oregon to Maine in a small RV which we will buy from Aaron. The impetus for this blog spot was a request from Heather to start a blog to chronicle our trip across the country. The idea of putting the trip on a public blog spot is a bit weird. Who but a small circle of friends and family would be interested? Why take up cyberspace? We'll figure it out!
The journey is also a start of a new life pattern for Daryle and me. A chance to focus our time and life energy in new ways, to establish a rythem of living which challenges us, which brings joy, and which allows us to share with each other and with our communities in new ways. Appalachian Spring set the tone that got us this far. It will still resonate in our song.
Enough of this - On to planning for a wonderful fall trip across the country.
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Somehow I managed to read this one last of 5 instead of first. Somehow, the informing of this reading with the others, the being in the moment from bike rides, the ride with Daryle reflected back to here, him essentially offering you a replay of the day you two decided to commit to one another, from the view of nearly 40 years ago, brought tears to my eyes & a lump of joy in my throat. May blessings continue on your journey together, especially in August-October.... weeza
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