Stars and Pelicans

Let’s just say 2012 has not been the best year when compared to many that preceded it. And, for some odd reason, I really don’t feel like blogging when a lot of what I have to say will sound really whiny. Let’s face it; that’s not what you want to hear nor is it what I want to have recorded for the years to come. And besides you get enough of that when we’re together in person. But I thought I would share a couple of moments from this past summer that were definitely awesome and worthy of remembrance.

So for our family vacation we travelled down to Tampa, Florida to visit our longtime friend Jessica and her awesome mom, Diane. They let us stay with them, showed us some great places to eat Cuban food, and lent us their abuela’s (grandmother’s) Ford Taurus to tour the Gulf Coast. We made our way down to Sanibel Island, renowned for its shelling (as it sits at an optimal angle to the gulf and thus catches all of the good stuff on its shores).

There were so many shells there that you become really choosy about what you would pick up and carry around. And then, at the end of the walk, you carefully edit through to decide what to keep. We would wade and sometimes venture out to swim in the surprisingly warm and shallow water. The birds did not seem to mind our presence and would walk the shore and pick up shells right along with you. Ibises, great blue herons, gulls, and other, smaller birds would scavenge and only spook if you got right up on them. But the massive pelicans were the ones that would really steal the show.

When the boys and I were out in the water, either hauling up dinner plate-sized live sand dollars (which Julie deemed much too big and alive to keep), throwing a football around, or just swimming or splashing, the pelicans would occasionally hurtle from the sky and dive bomb right into the surf, plucking fish out of the waters around us. It seemed like they were only feet away in some cases, not caring how close we might be to their impressive descent. Sometimes the prehistoric-looking creatures would tuck their legs and float on top of the water nearby for a moment . . . but when we would stalk them, they would flap, kick, and sail out of reach with ease. Really cool birds.

Another moment that stands out was the first night at Alturas Lake this past summer. As Alex and I drove up and over Galena Summit to our favorite lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, I was concerned that it would be a bad year to visit my childhood vacation stomping grounds because of the smoke generated by a forest fire near Stanley. But while it was hazy most days, that first night was clear. The second we pulled into camp, some Drakes were headed to the lake. So we hopped in their van and headed on down. I am forever grateful that we did.

We walked out to the end of the dock and looked up into the night sky. I have never ever seen so many stars nor felt that I could see so deeply into space. The Milky Way, the Big Dipper, that One Dude’s Belt, galaxies, and planets . . . it was truly incredible to view our place in the universe and to feel so blessed to live on this planet. It was humbling but also empowering to think that each of us are also one of God’s creations and of the potential and promise that holds for each of us. I did not get a photograph of that sky but the image remains in my mind and fills my soul with its infinite glimmering. (Yeah I’m not gonna write the word “twinkle” . . . I’m just not).

No coincidence that the memorable moments are when I am with family out in nature and have a moment to reflect on what’s important. Gotta find more opportunities to do that.

That’s all I got. Hope it was something. Have a great fall.