My Mother Earth

I have come away to the mountains to take some time for myself. I need it. Being alone gives me some time to think, pray, and consider what my next step should be.

I grew up in the Catskill Mountains so I need to go back to the high places at least once a year to get grounded again. These are not the Catskills, they are the Blue Ridge. They are part of the Appalachian Mountain Range, as are the Catskills, so when I am here I am connected to home.

There is a deep thread that runs through these mountains. It was not placed there by man, but by the Great Creator. It ties me to the trees, the stones, the plants, and the stories that sail on the wings of the winds in the high places. It takes a quietness of heart to hear the stories.

When I leave, I know all of the living beings of the mountain; the trees, flowers, plants, and yes even the stones, will say to me, "We will miss you while you are gone. Come home again, won't you? Come sit in our lap again, listen as we tell you another story, and please share your adventures with us that we might add more volumes to our collection. Come back again, won't you?" I wave and say, yes, of course... the mountains are truly my mother earth.

Taking a Break

After 5 days of sitting with my son as he had chemo that merged into a weekend where he was feeling way beyond miserable, it was time for a break. Bryon needed some time alone and I needed to step away from cancer and oncology, and focus on something different. 

I arrived in California the Saturday before Bryon started his chemo. I went to church with Bryon and Amber (Bryon’s sweet, sweet girlfriend) and met a lovely woman named Joy. She was raised in the South and has a sister who lives near Charlotte. She approached me and we talked about Cheerwine and pimento cheese and, of course, Bryon. I gave her my card and later on she texted me to check in to see how we were all doing. She made an offer, “If you need time away, let me know”. 

I took her up on it. Joy came and picked me up on Monday, took me to lunch and we chatted away about our lives. Joy is an artist too. She told me about being a screen writer and director of the Sugar Gang movies as well as the Mandie movies (that is so cool!!). Joy also paints and she took me to see what she was working on. Let me just say, the girl is good!

Then she took me to Eaton Canyon. We went on a short hike and she told me about watching out for rattle snakes as we walked down the jeep-sized dirt path. As we walked over a bridge, I looked out and there was a pair of sneakers hanging from a tree. I took a picture and wondered how and who put those sneakers in the top of that tree so far off the ground.

My new friend pointed down to the shallow creek and told me that it was unusual that there was water in the stream. “It doesn’t happen often,” she said. We walked further down the dirt path and made our way down to the creek.  It was lovely there. I pulled out my phone and took some more pictures. I took note of a speckled stone and Joy reached down and collected it for me.

It was a good day. Here are some pictures — I thought I would share them with you.

This is my break from my son’s cancer.