Our late afternoon walks have been accompanied by the most glorious sunsets. This particular sunset was captured yesterday on my iPhone. The one the day before? Oh my. It was as if the sky was lit by fire. Almost a feeling of ‘at the dawn of creation.’
Of course, I didn’t have my camera with me, but at the same time, Don and I knew that it would be impossible to capture what we were seeing. We stood in the middle of the road for at least ten minutes; staring, in awe, humbled by its beauty. Our house is just over the horizon on the right. My friend Breida lives on this road, so she only has to look out her back windows to see this beauty on a daily basis.
Two nights in a row of less than adequate sleep. Feeling a bit edgy and cranky, along with the usual stinging sensation in the eyes.
Dave and me
I belong to a group on Facebook that centers on the nostalgia we all feel for growing up in our hometown. A more innocent time. We share lots of memories and lots of details (many of which I completely forgot) about what it was like there when we were kids. Yesterday, someone posted a photo of an elementary school in our neighborhood, which led to memories of days spent at the outdoor swimming pool that was nearby. One of the guys commenting, Brien, asked me if I was related to the Mr. Hill who was his Scoutmaster when he was in the local Boy Scout Troop. Yes, I answered, that was my dad. He mentioned that my dad and a man named Bob Slick were both Scoutmasters for that troop. I told him I remembered that time vividly. Bob Slick was a family friend as well as a fellow Scoutmaster. I used to attend some of the Courts of Honor, running around like the little kid I was, watching all the bigger-than-me-boys get their merit badges and honors.
I mentioned to Brien that my late brother was in the troop and was an Eagle Scout. He immediately responded that he remembered Dave fondly and really liked him. Suddenly, I was pulled up short by memories of my adored older brother, tall and handsome, Eagle Scout, a guy that many of my girlfriends had crushes on. Brien said that Dave and Jeff Slick (Mr. Slick’s oldest son) were mentors for all the younger guys and that it was tragic that both of them were gone too soon. Jeff died in a car accident when he was in college, he was in his early twenties. My brother died at the age of 44. Mr. Slick never got over the tragic loss of his son. He lost the sparkle in his eyes. I remember that. Likewise, we never got over the loss of my brother.
Amazing how a short back-and-forth on Facebook can immediately take me back to another time, fill me with memories and bring me to tears. I passed along Brien’s good wishes to my dad last night during our phone call. Dad, at the age of 90, remembered him quite clearly.
So long ago, all of this. And so wonderful and sad at the same time.
Happy Saturday.
