I heard recently from a former colleague of mine. We talk from time to time. He calls me, truth be told, and seems to have a need to fill me in on life in the Bay Area. I moved 14 years ago after living there for about 35 years. I'm fortunate to have his friendship because I do value the newsy updates.
This latest call was consumed by our discussion of life after COVID and the upcoming opening of the school year. We both are fortunate to be retired and not have to deal with the online challenges currently facing our colleagues still in the classroom.
Always, he fills me in on who died, and who is and is not doing well. This last call, however, had something with a twist. We talked about the daughter of a former colleague of ours who died about 6 months ago. The daughter was charged with scattering her mother's ashes at the mountain camp that they both attended every summer for many years. The camp is a beautiful, woodsy sight in the mountains where inner-city kids spend a week or two every summer. My friend and her daughter have worked there every summer and the place came to be a sort of Eden for them. I can easily see why she like to have her ashes scattered there.
The daughter went to the site a few weeks ago, but for some reason was not able to complete the chore. She returned recently and could not follow through again. My phone call friend and I discussed the possibility that it is just too difficult right now to let go of her mother. This makes sense and says much about their relationship.
I think that someday, maybe next year, the request will be fulfilled.
In the same vein, I recalled a couple of times that I was fly fishing on a couple of Central Oregon's most beautiful rivers. While following the trails that run parallel to the flowing water, I encountered small groups of two or three people carrying an urn and looking for a good spot to fulfill the request of a loved one. I recall nodding to the people as recognition that I knew what they were doing and would certainly move out of the way and allow them all the privacy they need.
One of these sites, the Metolius River would definitely be in my top 3 places where I'd like to have my ashes scattered. It's a place of beauty and mystery. A place where I could spend endless hours. I really do mean endless. I have a couple of other sites in mind, but I do leave open the possibility that the final decision has a way to go before being necessary.
I once thought that having my ashes scattered at the Finish Line at a race track would be great. Not sure it would be possible, but for me, another place of beauty and mystery.
This latest call was consumed by our discussion of life after COVID and the upcoming opening of the school year. We both are fortunate to be retired and not have to deal with the online challenges currently facing our colleagues still in the classroom.
Always, he fills me in on who died, and who is and is not doing well. This last call, however, had something with a twist. We talked about the daughter of a former colleague of ours who died about 6 months ago. The daughter was charged with scattering her mother's ashes at the mountain camp that they both attended every summer for many years. The camp is a beautiful, woodsy sight in the mountains where inner-city kids spend a week or two every summer. My friend and her daughter have worked there every summer and the place came to be a sort of Eden for them. I can easily see why she like to have her ashes scattered there.
The daughter went to the site a few weeks ago, but for some reason was not able to complete the chore. She returned recently and could not follow through again. My phone call friend and I discussed the possibility that it is just too difficult right now to let go of her mother. This makes sense and says much about their relationship.
I think that someday, maybe next year, the request will be fulfilled.
In the same vein, I recalled a couple of times that I was fly fishing on a couple of Central Oregon's most beautiful rivers. While following the trails that run parallel to the flowing water, I encountered small groups of two or three people carrying an urn and looking for a good spot to fulfill the request of a loved one. I recall nodding to the people as recognition that I knew what they were doing and would certainly move out of the way and allow them all the privacy they need.
One of these sites, the Metolius River would definitely be in my top 3 places where I'd like to have my ashes scattered. It's a place of beauty and mystery. A place where I could spend endless hours. I really do mean endless. I have a couple of other sites in mind, but I do leave open the possibility that the final decision has a way to go before being necessary.
I once thought that having my ashes scattered at the Finish Line at a race track would be great. Not sure it would be possible, but for me, another place of beauty and mystery.
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