Waiting to..... exhale(?)

Inside us there is a river born in the good cold

that longs to give itself to the Gulf of light

and there is another river more like the Missouri

that carries earth, and earth joys and the earthly.

‘The Two Rivers’ by Robert Bly

Random quote from book on side table in guest room at Melanie’s in Santa Fe.  A welcome reminder of why I’m traveling, why I walk the path I chose again this morning. Which is more important, the tangible beauty that fills every waking moment of canyons- clouds-colors or the intangible joy in the longing to be? Clearly not the right question. A better one would be: How can I keep a balance between the worlds of being and doing?

Melanie is showering us with gifts of hospitality and friendship; I’m listening to her latest CD with the apt title “Along the Way”. Another reminder of the gifts that we’re receiving from those who are sharing our journey in large and small ways. 

Fast forward to Day 3 in Portales, New Mexico, home of “17,000 friendly folks and 3 or 4 old grouches” according to the welcome sign on Route 70 about a mile down from our base, the Sands Motel. On Day 1 we left Santa Fe at 4 a.m. with the intention of reaching Houston 14-15 hours later. It didn’t start out so well: I got confused and got on the highway the wrong way, then cut through the emergency median which I’d never do in the daylight.  Either I was picking up on Sweet Chariot’s energy (our beloved Land Rover Discovery) or she was picking up on mine -- just short of Fort Sumner, a horrendous clanking brought us to a sudden stop. We called AAA, but it was too early on Sunday morning and we had to wait 3 hours for a tow. Merlin was worth the wait, setting us up with a good, cheap hotel and a reliable mechanic before giving us a guided tour of Portales which includes the small campus of Eastern New Mexico University, home of the Greyhounds. Yesterday, we gave up on finding a cheaper alternative to ordering a new drive shaft and had David the mechanic order a new part. Today we wait to see if UPS will get it here today or tomorrow.

So how does this forced period of waiting fit into my journey? Is there something waiting for me in Portales? Something to learn? Maybe that Komal remains my ideal travel companion, taking everything in stride (we’re walking a lot) and with a smile that elicits warmth and advice from shopkeepers, waitresses and teenagers on the street. Perhaps a reminder of my own arrogance: why do I keep thinking of this as the middle of nowhere? Every soul is the center of his/her own universe.

Just spoke to David. The part is on its way and we’ll be on ours this afternoon. On to new places, people and universes.