Last Friay night, after a bout of physical deterioration, my Dad passed.
Due to the deterioration that he was undergoing during this last month, I suspected that his end was near; but of course it still comes as a big shock and devistating blow when death actually occurs.
We shared an awesome weekend in early June when he was in better shape and I had a great good bye phone call with him two Sundays ago, when it truly seemed that the end of his life might be imminent.
The funeral was on Monday, and my friends - from high school and in one case- Jr High stood in with deep support.
My wife has been also profoundly supportive -during the time she spent with me during the day of the funeral as well as during my time on the road and arrival back.
It was my hope to drive back to Dallas from Pittsburgh where my Dad lived, and that hope was realized.
This provided for me an opportunity to integrate and transition towards the life I left behind back in Dallas, a life forever changed in one key way with my Dad gone.
It was a trip that mixed grief with beauty of my surroundings.
Here are some highlights along with photos:
This photo looks NW and was taken in Pittsburgh the evening after funeral and gathering. I saw this as a sign of the magnificence of Dad's goodbye and entrance into the "other side". Not long after dusk, I enjoyed a distant lightning show, which also added soothing to my aching heart.
Washington PA- SW of Pittsburgh where I spent my early childhood: Despite the many decades passed, I can still feel a very special vibration to the land around there. It contained a peaceful meditation energy when I was a child, and brings me inspiration right here and now as I gaze across the hills and old City.
Zanesville Ohio: Sampling a delicious wild blackberry, my first in decades. Nice juicy and sweet. And my wife is so thrilled to hear my voice on the telephone when I call her to check in.
Zanesville to Columbus, Ohio : Cirrus cloud wisps floating southward across the deep blue sky.. It occurs to me that this northern windflow is caused by the enormous high pressue system anchored right over N.TX, baking and searing our region more than 1000 miles from where I stand in Ohio. It amazes me how our sky visibly reveals our connectedness with one another just as our human Spirit shows that we are linked through forces far removed from our present locations.
Columbus to Wilmington OH: My Spirit soars and sings as table top Midwestern landscapes greet me with lush and soothing greenness. It's a vast sky, and at one point, I do a dance, pushing my energy deep into each direction where it appears that it can travel off into infinity.
In addition, I spend the night at a motel located at the southern end of the road where I did my very first storm chase ever.. S.R. 68. This feels wonderful and entails an amazing acknowledging celebration for me. My has time changed in 30 plus years :) I never dreamed during those early storm hunt days that I would end up creating and running a storm chase tour business, getting paid for taking clients into wild skies and receiving international media publicity. What a Blessing it was, and how amazing to return to this birthplace and stay overnight.
Also at the motel front desk, I meet a middle school girl who along with her Stepdad lives in Troy, Ohio .. NW of Springfield, where I lived for over 4 years. In fact, she recognizes the precise spot where I lived when I mention it to her. It's an amazing small world..
Overnight I savor my best sleep in weeks.
Clermont County, Ohio (East of Cincinatti): Driving by, I acknowledge what a difficult life I endured while living there, and give thanks that I survived it and have moved on with great strength and integrity within.
South of Covington, KY: Beautiful lush green hilly landscapes. Looks like I'm in PA again, and the trees appear blessed by abundant rainfall here.
North of Nashville, TN: More beautiful landscapes. In addition, splendid thunderheads blossom in the Southern sky with majesty and call to me. As I draw closer to Nashville, they tower with immense beauty, though I never get the opportunity to connect with the juices and electricity within.
It's also a joy to listen to Beethoven's 5th Symphony on a CD I took back from Dad's collection. This was my very favorite childhood classical piece.
South of Nashville to Jackson, TN: I take a dinner break in a rest area and enjoy an atmosphere softened by recent rains. What a relief it is to return to this mellow energy.
Once back on the road, as I move into aching heart over the loss of my Dad, my friend Mike from Pittsburgh calls me to check in, and we share a nice long conversation and that helps alot.
All through my drive back, a two day journey- it's grounding and joyful to connect with my wife who is quite happy to hear from me each time and offers great support.
Jackson, TN: Very heavy rains and probable lightning arrive and pass through (unfortunately) before I arrive there, leaving huge puddles to greet me, as well as mists and blue sky mixed with magnificent thunderheads - along with soft sweet air.
The next morning I am ready and revved to make it all the way back to Dallas, and thus awaken at 4:15 a.m. never to return to sleep. I partake in a beautiful dawn with mists and moonset over lush green fields & trees.
Full moon setting in the West, Jackson; 7/15/11
Jackson to Memphis, TN: I feel awe and delight to witness the honor that Tennessee gifts to her musicians. The highway is called "Music Highway" and a delightful surprise greets me at a rest stop just 15 miles SW. of Jackson as you will see from the photos below. I wish that all states would honor their musicians and artists in this way.
To my delight, this sign greets me at the first rest stop. Isaac Hays was one of my all time favorite singers/instrumentalists. Part of this road is called the Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway.
Here's a close up of the sign.
I enjoyed the creativity as well as the honoring that Tennesee gives their musicians.. and I also remember this song :)
Memphis to Little Rock, AR: Mystically and magically, mists arise from rainsoaked fields to condense as dense cloud puffs just above the earth. I watch as these blossom into beautiful cauliflower-like shapes of brilliant white upon the blue.
After Little Rock, I watch temperatures rise about a degree every 50 miles and move from 93 to 102 by the time I reach Texarkana, TX.
Amazing searing heat awaits my arrival throughout East TX, and the car outside thermometer says 107 degrees at one point - - and this is the official high for Dallas on this day.
Jubilantly, I arrive back home at supper time, at least a couple hours earlier than anticipated.
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