Monday, April 11, 2011

Death Valley Questions






Rain
today
at
Brixton....





The
bike ride
is
cancelled.





It's a
good day
to tell you
about...





...Alex's
day
in
Death Valley.






This was
the day
before
the
big bike ride.






We
ventured out
before
the sun...





...to
visit
the
Death Valley
dunes...


with
the
dawn.





We came
to explore
the
landscape...







...to
find
challenges...






...to dare
the
perils....







...of
a strange
land.






But
the magic
of
this
strange
place....








...brought
pause...









...and
reflection.





Al
graduates
college
in 3 months....


She's at
a crossroads...



Big

Life

Decisions




Peace corps?

Travel?

Farm?






Bicycle
tour
guide?










Settle down?





Not Al.





I say
she's scared
of
commitment.

She says no.





This is
her time
of freedom





before career

family

responsibilities

photo by KC











Now
is
her time
to fly










but
what
direction

and why?






I, too,
have my
own
questions....





my
own
crossroads...













Retirement
draws
near.







An empty nest
hovers
on my
horizon.






Do I
fly
now?








Jump on
my bike....






and
travel
with the
east wind?






Find work...




and
adventure....







in
National Parks...





across
this
wide nation?







But
what about
Tom?







Home?









Kitty?




Maybe that's
a question
we both
have.





We
don't find
the answers...






the
questions
are like
the sand...




Is the
answer
in the
patterns?





Take off
your
shoes!








How can
you
find
the truth...





without
wriggling
your toes
in
speculation?








No,
we don't
find
answers...




but we
find
a special
moment...








together...



Mother
and
Daughter










in the
quiet
dunes








facing
our
futures







finding
our
lives.









3 comments:

  1. I vote bike tour guide for Al (for now)

    For Helen retire early and healthy a bike around this great big world. Take tons of photos. Have a ball!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I could join my friend, Todd, who's biking around the world one continent at a time.
    His next venture is biking across Europe from Lisbon to Istanbul unsupported. He will be looking for the prettiest church and the best pastry. And he's raising money for a Korean orphanage.

    http://transeuropa2011.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Wriggling your toes in speculation..." -- love it. Take care, Helen!

    ReplyDelete