Our walk together.

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." - John Burroughs

I took you for a walk today. I know I haven't been blogging very much. Working in a museum means that when everyone else is off work, we work our behinds off. Easter is especially busy and this week the weather has been gorgeous so we've been filled to the brim and I have been too tired at the end of the day to do much more than eat dinner and sit on the couch.

Last night I decided that I needed to restore perspective, so this morning I walked to work. It's about an hour and forty-five minutes walking across fields and along cliffs. The first half is uphill, but it's worth it for the views (and the last half, which is downhill!!) I thought about you along the way. I wondered how you were and I whispered prayers for your health and happiness to the wind.

I left my house at 7:15. Being out that early in the morning always reminds me of my days working at summer camp. Mornings feel different when you spend most of your day outside and you have to walk along a leafy trail to have your breakfast. So I started my walk thinking of summers past. I sent love and happy thoughts to the women who have been my friends for more than half of my life. (And I wondered about Gerb - the one of them who is supposed to be having twins right about now!)

I passed through my village (the second photo) and enjoyed having the beach to myself. As I climbed the cliffs, it suddenly became cloudy and the world became slightly silver as the sun continued to rise. I sent love and blessings to my tribe and my dear blogging friends and web-partner. They are all going through such intense changes and growth. From so far away, all I can do to be supportive is to love them and hold them tightly in my heart.

As I climbed higher, more faces and names tumbled through my head. I was suddenly hit by a deep feeling of loneliness. I felt lost for a few minutes. Most of the people who I love are so far away from me here. There is a vast sea separating me from my support system and sometimes I feel it like an icy grip on my heart. As I turned to look in the direction of North America, I found myself not alone at all! Seeing these three faces looking at me quizzically made me laugh out loud. Even that sound didn't frighten them. They watched me like this until I was nearly out of sight.

In many places on the path there are remnants and layers of history. There are walls that tumble off of cliffs and pillars in the middle of nowhere. Everywhere you walk, someone else has been there before. It makes me think of my Dad. The last time he was here he was fascinated by all of this. I long to have he and my Mom here to show them around. They are coming in July and I am already excited about taking them everywhere. Now if I could just get my brother and his wife and my niece over here... suggestions?

As I came down the last stretch of the path, the sun came through the clouds. "Wedding Day" by Rosie Thomas was playing on my ipod, and this was the view I was blessed with. I felt replenished and refocused and centered again. I had been lonely, but never alone on my journey. You were all there. Thank you so much for coming with me. Did you notice?

Where did you walk today?