Thanks Stephen. What speaks indeed! what holds, what opens.
Jill
> My father, now almost 93, had a stroke recently that has meant his
> mental-to-language function is impaired. Looking up, "birds" become "buses,"
> etc. It's painful to witness. A community leader, he liked so much to think,
> articulate and work to solve things.
> On Sunday I take him out to Point Richmond and Ferry Point on the San
> Francisco Bay; it is the place where he grew up and devoted much of his life
> as a boat builder, sailor, activist for Bay Parks, trails, etc. We walk out
> in into the middle of the grassy park. Looking across the waters is an
> extraordinary 240 degree panoramic view - around from the north we see the
> San Rafael-Richmond Bridge, Mt. Tamalpias, the Marin Country shore, Angel
> Island, Racoon Straights, the San Francisco port & skyline, the Bay Bridge,
> Treasure Island, and the Port of Oakland.
> The day's high clouds are broken by winter sunlight. My father keeps
> slightly opening and spreading his arms and hands out from his the sides of
> his hips, repeating, telling me, "It's all here. It's all here."
>
> It was quite amazing and a gift. This embrace of a place and a life.
>
> Stephen V
>
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