Perfect Timing
This morning, after a long walk, I went down to the river in my crocs so that I could step inside and wade for a while. I knew that doing so would be immensely "grounding" and healing, and it was the best that I could do for now, until I am cleared for kayaking again. As I made it down to the boat ramp with a cup of coffee in tow, I met a really elderly woman coming out of the river herself. She immediately lit up a cigarette, and we struck up a conversation. I could tell from her speech and her gait, that she had perhaps suffered a stroke at some point, and yet here she was, hauling her ocean kayak out of the water. I apologized for not being able to help her, but almost immediately, a wonderful man came to this woman's aid. He was accompanied by two rambunctious Jack Russell dogs - who proceeded to happily dash into the water and splash about. This woman, truly weathered by life and who knows what else, still had a gleam in her eye. We talked about the river, kayaking, ...