Love is passion, obsession; someone you can't live without...fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back...because the truth is, there is no sense living your life without this. -William Parrish

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

colors

i am feeling very grateful today, and nostalgic. perhaps it is saying goodbye to my grandpa moe this weekend or the change in seasons or reality that i am growing up (mostly).

i drove home yesterday listening to some good old james taylor and my mind raced. suddenly i was in the suburban, the smell of my old dog torrey was perfuming the air, meg had her head out the window trying to ease her motion sickness. i was riding in my "special spot" aka: the top of the luggage in the VERY back of the burban.

we were on our way to the cabin or jackson lake or powell. without fail bob dylan, john denver and james taylor serenaded the majority of our trip. simon and garfunkel usually came too.

grace was playing her car games which meant my dad ALWAYS won. i had been told no less than a dozen times to NOT ask again how much longer. mom was calling out every so often "GLORY CHILDREN!" at whatever mountain or sunset or field we came across. boss was coaching jamie on driving. ten and two. checking the mirrors?

somehow these memories carry me in times of trouble. thinking of our little family, all compact in that car, occasionally fighting but usually laughing. all together. now we are spread out, further and further. we arent that little family anymore, now we all have our own families and memories to make. but part of me wants to go back and crawl into the back of the burb and savor those times again.

grandpa moe was a great man. his life was filled with adventure. he skied, piloted his own small plane, painted, fished, traveled to Australia, Africa, Europe, Mexico. he was always smiling and usually had an off color joke to share. he saw life as a glass all the way full. i have loved knowing him and loving him through my life.

in jackson he always, without fail, took us to see the buffalo. he took us painting, to get pizza at leeks, and was generous to take us out for ice cream and treats. he was a tease. he was funny.

i feel grateful for his vibrant and colorful life as i sit at my counter and watch the color slowly drain out of the earth, preparing for winter.

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