Health To The End
At the Convergence The Lord
of the Dance Waits
Today is the
day I go to the convergence; I have made every effort
to secure even the most simple and common of jobs
only to be ignored or forgotten. I have made every
effort to bring together two areas of need in what
would be a huge economic and logistical success for
those seeking to gain cultural experience economically
and safely. All has been shut down, but not by a bad
force or event, but rather by a Father who is saying,
“Enough, stop now. I have something much better
that you have been waiting for.” Now I have
a literal trip, in a literal boat to make on a literal
river that has an end, but in a special way. I must
pack my supplies and consider fishing gear.
Not so long ago I had a friend who went out of his
way to search me out after being separated for more
than twenty years. For six months he made meticulous
preparations for my arrival with gifts like a new
mountain bike, clothing, a GPS, beautiful SLR camera,
new shirts, pants and other items of clothing, computer
speakers, cookies, warm wool hat, several cash gifts
that wound up being over $1000 and that didn’t
include the expense of my round trip flight fare he
paid for. He even had the installation and set up
of everything necessary to operate a successful business
from his home, new running shoes, rain pants, coffee
maker, all supplemented by nightly celebrations of
a delicious night cap shake made of mint chocolate
ice cream, fresh blueberries and milk. At every chance
he would be taking me into the beautiful Rocky Mountains
to view the grandeur of the snow capped summits while
relaxing in comforting hot springs in the misty alpine
air.
When not in the mountains, he was always
taking me out to eat lunch with him, go to movies
on a regular basis and shop for many things I had
not owned in many years. It was all like the most
beautiful dream come true.
With all the wonderful presents, the
one thing I really valued more than gifts, was his
friendship. I knew he had gone out of his way to bring
all these offerings together for what was intended
to be the initiation of a three month visit in a country
where I couldn’t legally work. It wasn’t
long before some of the realities of what had happened
in the twenty plus intervening years began to become
apparent; the most problematic was a chunk of unseen
metal hardware screwed into my lower spinal bone.
As is human nature, if one can’t see what is
causing a problem then it becomes something less significant
in their minds.
After telling my friend at the end of
almost two weeks that I had to return to my land quickly,
he finally gave me the one gift that I valued above
all others; the gift of unconditional love and understanding.
He explained to me how much it pained him to see me
go because it reminded him of his father’s death
but he put his hand on my shoulder and said the following,
“I don’t understand the ways and the working
of our Father but I want you to know that my welcome
to you will never end. The Father may be calling you
now but I want you to know that my door is always
open to you at any time so we can complete what we
began.” I thought "wow!" that is how
God's love workstaking the unexpected and turning
it into a perpetual open door. He further said, "The
Lord knows your heart and pain and He will bless and
guide you, for your actions are based upon your dessire
to keep His priorities first in your life."
This understanding gesture was definitely
the most honorable gift he could have given me. We
remembered the words to the song “Friends”
which says, “…but I know it’s hard
to let you go in the Father’s hands we know,
but a life time is not too long to live as friends.”
I miss my friend especailly on this day, for as it
was on the day I left him, the effect of metal in
my spine has degenerated into an unconscious desire
to run in order to take it far from others or to sleep
in order to avoid what I can't escape.
This day began cloudy with a sleepy
feeling, but is clearing and getting warm yet the
sleepy feeling grows. I have rested well over the
past week waiting to hear about my applications I
have sent in for menial employment for the summer;
all of which have failed. I must make a huge effort
to consolidate my camping and fishing gear. At this
time spawning begins, a time when fish who were born
in these waters return from their life in the ocean
to reach their final rest in the waters of their birth.
It’s all so perfect, every part
of it. The time allotted for this cycle in man was
once set as three times twenty years plus ten, however
some have encountered greater obstacles during spawning
and the flesh of these fish grows pale much more rapidly
that others who may make the same trip.
Yes there is no doubt that nature has
a more beautiful plan, no grave yards, no funeral
services, and no bereavement, just a graceful cycle
that begins with energetic exploration and ends with
a quiet rest to wake from a world that was all just
a short dream.
Each fish knows it natal land and river
and the season lays a heavy hand upon the timing to
let new comers take their place in the temporary dance
before meeting the Lord
of the Dance.
∞
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