In The Moment

Spring is finally taking hold of the prairie; weeds and gophers flourish under the big sky. Mowing, spraying, and shooting take up most of the day. Haven't seen a rattler so far, not a live one anyway.

I was away attending a wedding in Colorado last weekend. It felt good to walk around without thinking about running into a snake. That is, until I ran into a snake. It was a small black garter snake slithering along the path between the Bears Inn Bed and Breakfast and the Bistro Restaurant next door. Oh well! I'm beginning to think that the snake might be my power animal. I'll have to look more closely at that possibility. At the moment, anyway, the idea of rattle snakes doesn't send shivers up my spine like it used to. I feel I'm beginning to make peace with the reality that we share common ground. Speaking of common ground, I haven't seen Chance since our encounter weeks ago. I wonder if I smothered him by filling his hole with stones and dirt. I assumed he could push his way out when he was ready. I almost feel bad that he might be dead. From everything I've heard he's actually a "good snake"--maybe I should have named him Oxymoron.

The wedding! Well, it was very wonderful. Pete, my nephew, and Jenn held their ceremony outside witnessed by an intimate group of family and close friends. My brother, Gary, and sister-in-law, Pat, rented a house on the grounds where the wedding was held and were host and hostess to a weekend of parties, afterparties, and barbecues. Everyone was welcomed, and everyone felt welcome. Pat's mantra for the weekend, "stay in the moment", worked like a charm. She and Gary appeared relaxed and engaged--having fun and creating memories.

I'm feeling especially grateful to be a member of my family. All is well, as it should be.