In the midst of the 2016 Year Of The Trial(s), my family took an impromptu holiday, inspired by the words of a speaker I heard who talked about the importance of not postponing joy. My oldest child lives in Portland, Oregon. I gathered the family and we took off for PDX to take a road trip tour of Oregon. We rented a car, packed a cooler, launched Google Maps, and headed south, almost all the way to California. We swam in rivers; paddle boarded in lakes; drank Rose at sunset. We hiked and fished and floated. We gazed at constellations, saw shooting stars and the Milky Way. We told stories by the camp fire even though it was 75 degrees at night. We felt small in the immense presence of Crater Lake and Mount Hood, and imagined the awe of first discovery. We slept in tents and I held my breath when a four-legged critter visited one night. I learned to love overnight oats. I threw my arms and head back as I went screaming down the Zipline. I listened to the quiet still of the early morning. We did morning yoga overlooking the canyon and got massages in the evening. We rode bikes and took long walks. Our electronic devices did not work; there were no apps or emails; no movies or TV. I treasured every moment and treasure every memory. |