not all who wander are lost

not all who wander are lost

Monday, July 27, 2009

Woke up at 5:30am as the sun was preparing its colors, got our running shoes on and stepped out into the quiet. We are staying right along the Big Sioux River downtown Sioux Falls. Leo and I jogged passed Canadian geese, mallard ducks, lots of rabbits, forging robins, and swooping swallows. The sky was beautiful. Down along the river, to the Sioux Falls. Walked out over the rocks and sat at the waters edge. Crashing cascades mesmorizing with the sunrise behind us painting the granite rocks with its morning. A good spot.

We've had a full weekend of ritual and reminiscing. The internment of Dad's ashes was Saturday. The sun was shining bright, not a cloud in the sky. The prairie breeze was blowing. We were a small group of 18 closest friends and family. Uncle Dan officiated. Uncle Mark lowered Dad's ashes into the ground, I chucked in a few rocks for my sibs and we all helped fill in the soil and topped it with 5 roses. We sang together. We sat in the grass, we sat on chairs, we stood, we held a precious-mighty council of love and respect and honor and it was good it was hard it was good...

We'll spend the day with Gram and Gramps today and then head to Spirit Lake in time for sunset. We'll skip a rock for you Erik, Jess, and Matt....Love you guys.

WHY I WAKE EARLY by Mary Oliver

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who made the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety –

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever-darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light –

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

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