Star Light
Travel day. The road awaits. Friends are at the end. And music. But if I’m honest. It’s the friends that count. The one with whom I’ll travel, and those we’ll both soon see. It promises to be a long day, but all days are long. It’s just that we’ll be spending our time driving and that can feel onerous, except when you’re traveling with a friend and there are sights to see. I am and there are. So, off we go.
This is my first trip to Taos and the Big Barn Dance. A long while back my late wife and I were scheduled to go with old friends. We even had a room. But something came up and we missed the trip. Then I was scheduled to go with friends of newer acquaintance. Something happened. I don’t know what. I made plans for this year last year during my first trip to Red River. I’m following through. It’s nice to be in the gravitational pull of people who say the kindest words in the world, you should come with us.
It’s happened a lot in my healing journey. Invitations. I may feel at times that I’m hurtling into the abyss, but all around are friends and family who see me going by and reach out to grab me by the shirttail, to grab me by the hand, to keep me in their orbit, to keep me looking up, to keep me looking out. They’re a consolation and a constellation. And this week we’ll be shining in New Mexico and maybe singing a song or two.