The McLaren park is just a minute away from my house and I don’t visit it often enough. Yesterday I took a much needed walk. After staying indoor for almost a week the outside world seemed a little detached from reality. I walked past the newly renovated playground. Our neighborhood volunteers have installed a three-tiered fountain planter, barbecue grills and colorful mosaics decorated several round car blockers at the entrance. My participation have been zero regarding this whole project; and if I had not been sick, and laid up, and trying slowly to work my way out of the hole, I would have missed all this beautiful work.
Walking down the dirt path, crossing a bridge, it brought me to Shelley Drive that looped around the hill. I decided to visit the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. From 2006-2008 I had organized the Poets With Trees readings there. Sitting on the bench facing the empty stage, memories of those readings came flooding back. Organization, execution, all took so much energy. After three years I had to abandon the project for something less ambitious. Some of the participants like Tony Vaughn and Jehanah Wedgwood have passed on. Life’s challenges dilute the fervor in our hearts. I appreciate anything that has longevity.
The trees rustled around me. I thought I heard a voice. “It’s a beautiful world. I didn’t want to leave.”
