Fathers, Dads, Sperm donors . . .

Just when I think I'm past being emotional on a day like this . . . The son of my dear departed friend sent a message that said how it feels like his dad died just yesterday; it has been 9 months or so. This larger than life man left such a hole, such a void, in the life of so many people. Nothing has hurt like this for a very long time. It's a thing that feels like it will never heal. And if it doesn't, it doesn't. I will keep remembering gratefully the time we spent together and that I was able to see him and sing to him before he departed. Sometimes it seems consolation is far far away. But he wasn't my father and I am not his 26 year old son. That young man has a difficult road and my heart aches for him; however, I am grateful that he has his dad's resourcefulness and understanding of friendship. It will sustain him.

The male parents in my life left indelible marks...many good, a few not-so-good. With God's help, I am also resourceful. Who can doubt the power and grace of God? I stand, sit, kneel, run, scream. . .knowing it's in His hands, not any of the others. Even if all had been excellent in my childworld, still it's God who must be trusted and leaned on for what Fathering is all about.

End of school term

Yipee!! One class completely finished, one more will dog me until I finish up in about a week. I'd love to think I could outsmart myself and get stuff done before the actual hour it's to be turned in...

A good weekend, this. Breakfast with Tim yesterday, then home the rest of the day, evening. This morning I took Tim and Simone to the airport...helllloooo Colorado. They're very excited. I'm happy there will be choir tonight, by popular demand - on a date that I didn't intend to have it. Love that folks are asking, wanting more more more! me too, me too ! It is such a hoot to get to hear and sing songs I've loved for so long. It warms my heart that others are enjoying it.

I'm also soo very happy to connect with people via Facebook. Specific people, especially. All good.

Catching up

Mercy - long time no write - at least here...the thing about being a scattered person is that you write journal-y things in 2 or 3 different places..cohesion is a good idea I guess, just not one I've quite figured out. at least not in everything.

But I do want to write about my trip. I left town on Friday May 28 around 4am heading south...my favorite direction. I took about a full twelve hours to get to Hendersonville NC, with needing to stop and stretch legs, etc. I was cooked. Fortunately Bruce and Miriam were so excited I had arrived and they had supper waiting so my energies renewed quite quickly. They are wonderful people, a wonderful couple. We moved from eating to story telling to laptop obsessing to story telling to singing to eating to story telling...and much of it on the front porch, "Miriam's porch." Bruce knows his Mama would be proud of how the place looks and that she would love Miriam and this warms his heart. Oh how one person completes another...even if no one is incomplete. Lovely to see. We talked of going to a local farm to get fresh-picked strawberries on Saturday morning. We got there before any picking had been done, so we "got to" pick for ourselves. It wasn't our plan, but we wanted strawbs! It took about 30 minutes and we were fine, all lived through it... They accompanied our breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy, mighty fine. The entire visit was great. I left Sunday morning early to head for Tybee Island. Traffic was excellent until the last 15 miles. The typical 25 minute drive from Savannah to the island took just over an hour...Memorial Day weekend, hello! I got to the condo about 15 minutes before Doug and Gary arrived a couple of hours later. We had a lovely time singing and playing and eating and beach walking. Good good friends.. We have travelled different paths and traversed varied rough terrain, but we share something that lightens our hearts and inspires our souls. Good friends, great music. I got up Monday morning and took a walk on the beach while the guys were still sleeping..when I returned they were both awake, up and ready for the day. We made some more music and chatted and ate (there was a lot of food) until Doug had to leave around 3 to drive back to Orlando. Gary and I had dinner at the Crab Shack and decided that is the only place on the island we should ever try to have a meal "out." soooooo good. ambience, roaming cats, all of it.

We sat on the balcony and watched dolphins for a bit more then he left around 9:30 or so.

Tuesday morning I went for a beach walk (most everyone had left since the holiday weekend was done). I love walking on the sand, at the water's edge...

I did not love cutting my foot on a stupid shell, but, oh well. I drove to just north of Nashville and overnighted in Portland. Weds morning I headed for Chicago and got here around 4pm. Class at 6:30, right back to it! good times, all.