Down by the river, I came
upon someone walking slowly, pausing frequently, gazing with apparent joy, out
upon the land.
They had severely pronated feet, making it tough
enough to navigate, and they had gotten impressively far, with their evening
pleasure.
I stopped and asked if they knew the
yellow/ochre swallow like bird that had flown so close to me, obviously
protecting a nest, and we stood for awhile, as people do down by the river,
regaling each other with their favorite things.
He asked me how far to the end of the path, so I
pointed out the corner of the river far down , and the tall Maple to show where
the path ended. I told him how the Bittersweet-choked woods there was thick
with Cedar Waxwings, come Summer.
How the river at times roiled with newly
hatched fish of one kind or another, pressing their baby fish mouthes up past
the surface in early morning and dusk, to feed happily upon the insects flying
along the water's surface.
I told him about the Egrets and Heron, the mated
pair of Eagles coming for breakfast early in the mornings, and how to drive to
the other path. How even waking partway to the river, you were far up over the
arroyo, the wild flowers cascading and varied all summer long.
How,often, there was a yearling coyote
,shielding itself at the crook in the path, finding its way in its young life.
And how, if you got closer to the river down
there, a tough call for him, I imagine, at 6:30 come the young women crew,
laughing and singing all together, with their rousing spirited laugh filled
songs. Followed by the women my age around 7:00, who laugh and yell to each
other and tell jokes, and ignore the admonitions of the crew coach.
And as he grinned at the characterizations, I
told him that the men did crew around 7:30, focused, hard working, quiet and
no-nonsense, obedient to the coaches, trying to make the day.
He laughed then, and I think we both knew he
wouldn't get that far, so why not hear of the goings on. I felt like I was
singing the song of the places, as he happily tasted what he could access.
I told him about Alexandra Dawson, who the
conservation trail had been named after.
How she is no longer with us, but volunteered
her time as an attorney, to helping local governments put in place
environmental measures, to protect the waterways.
How her hobby has been seeing if she and her
husband could kayak or canoe as many small waterways as possible, along this
beautiful river.
He shifted feet, smiled, and told me it often
felt so very ancient. And I agreed with him, it does.
I told him I consider it a small miracle, that
these waters come from precipitation, gathered up from elsewhere; and from far
flung mountains and hills, creeks and tributaries, so much water passing so
much life, that flows past us, and down to the ocean.
We said goodbye then, he slowly walking back to
his car, pausing here and there. Me knowing all too well, from years of working
on people , exactly what the walk will cost him, in terms of inflammation and
joint pain, and incremental deterioration.
I thought of the cost of the surgery they do,
that works well and is an all but impossible access for most.
I thought of how many different ways we can each
be challenged ... what an amazing variety of ways things can get tougher, as we
each follow our greatest pleasures and delights.