School is out, and officially, summer "vacation" has begun. We ended things at both schools on a frantic note, with many evaluations and meetings held in May. I am feeling relieved, and am ready to think about something else for awhile. I feel as if I have a lot to accomplish this summer and I'm certain the time will fly by fast.
So my big brother had to "rescue" me Friday evening. I'm sure he'll be blogging about it, so I'll beat him to the punch. His very nice home and backyard sit next to a walking trail which goes around Pawnee Prairie Park. My husband and son and I were out there Friday evening to help him move some furniture to his basement, and after the chore was done, I invited my spouse to come with me for a walk on the trail. Off we went, intending to go 10 or 15 minutes and then turn around and go back, getting in a nice 30 minute stroll. However, as we walked down the pleasant trail, instead of turning around, we elected to take a path to the left, thinking it would loop around in fairly short order and we would end up back at his yard. That was the first of several mistakes on this expedition. Pawnee Prairie is a densely packed tree and brush-laden park, and when evening falls, it gets dark along the path rather quickly. As time went on, we tried to follow confusing markers and several times stopped to decide where we should go as there seemed to be many paths, forks, and choices to make. My son was also with us, and has, unfortunately, not a lot of directional sense. On and on we went, trying to get our bearings as night fell. It was rather comical to me as I wondered how we were going to explain to someone that we were lost on the walking trails. I could envision helicopters with lights shining and police officers on horseback scouring the woods for these 3 dumb people who were unable to navigate around this large, forest-like park in the middle of the city. After an hour of walking, we finally came by an opening in the tall chain link fence surrounding the park- an opening at the beginning of a bike path. We immediately went out and landed on an intersection in a residential neighborhood, and had no idea where we were. My spouse, not a lifetime member of the Boy Scouts of America, thought we were somewhere near Tyler and the parking lot, turns out, we were close to Maize Road not anywhere near where he thought we were. We called Jay on our cell phone and he came and got us, several blocks from his home.
Today I googled Pawnee Prairie, and got the map the city puts out, and then I looked on Google at the satellite view. I can see how we got lost-it is a maze of major trails, minor paths, and forestation. It's also a BIG park-to walk around it completely would be 5 miles or more.
I was never panicked, but I did feel, at times as we were walking in the dark along a dirt path, trying not to trip over limbs and brush a little forsaken. Especially, when it was all over and I asked Jay, so, we've been gone longer than an hour-were you concerned about us? His answer was, "No, I thought you had come back and gotten in your car and left. I never missed you."
So there really are people in life who come and go, who leave familiar places and go somewhere else, or even who die, who are never missed by anyone. I think about what a lonesome life that must be-to be in this world and not be noticed, to not have a true friend, or family who would miss you if you weren't around. In the movie Shall We Dance, the character who protrays Richard Gere's wife says that is one of the purposes of marriage-to be a witness to what happens in someone's life-someone that you love and care for above all others. I'm thankful for that person in my life-my "not a Boy Scout" spouse, nevertheless, life without him would be unfathomable.
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