"Alive"

A Sunday Amen

Justin Homan | Metal Mulisha | Fujix-e2 85mm

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist… that is all.” - Oscar Wilde

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I never intended to do A Sunday Amen every Sunday, yet it does make sense to do one at the end of the week, especially if I have something on my mind. It is often a lesson-to-self sort of post that inspires me. I am at my home-away-from-home in Oregon, so less writing, more exploring.

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In the last month I have taken in and gleaned the spirit of “life” in almost every aspect of my daily routines and beyond.

From watching a grandchild discover a dizzying disc swing, looking up at the large tree from where it spun, wind in her hair, “nana, higher.,” to seeing her scream with joy over a little dog jumping through mid-air for a spray of hose water., sitting down in the evening to watch the Netflix documentary “Unchained,” cycling-husband walking in the door, soaked in sweat, a few times a week., the phone call our youngest son made to us about taking his climbing hobby outside of the gym to the real rocks., another incredible walk through Silver Falls State Park., more sweat coming in the door from my husband, stories of farm dogs chasing his bike (he won), catching the Tour de France for the last few weeks live and on recordings, re-building another fence for mom, ice-tea my husband’s simple reward in the hot sun., attending an annual rodeo in town, and firing off my camera at the end as Justin Homan with Metal Mulisha jumped through mid-air landing on a soft ramp, death defying life…

Santiam Canyon Stampede | shot from the top of the bleachers | with spectators shadows | Fujix-e2 with one of dad’s lenses. He loved shooting the rodeo.

Last night we watched the movie “A Man Called Otto.” It was endearing, painfully hard and funny. Get tissues. Carrying a theme, in the end, that said while life can be severe, harsh and extremely grief-stricken…. “we must continue to live.”

As I type.. the most exciting final stage of the Tour is live. Traditionally beginning on the outskirts of Paris, surviving team members riding side-by-side, parade style, chase cars behind, linked arms, big smiles. Some visually bloodied and battered, as they eventually begin the last race entering the center courtyard of The Louvre, great relief and chills over the cobblestones, as they bounce down the Champ-Elysées in Paris, eight laps, of a finishing circuit that loops around the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde… one rider after the stage win, another knowing he won overall.

Another rider, my favorite, Wout van Aert , 28, said his teammates "are 100% behind me," as he dropped out prior to Stage 18 to see his pregnant wife deliver their second child. “Confident that his team Jumbo-Visma will shepherd Jonas Vingegaard to the podium in Paris.” He had done his job, the hard work. Now it was his wife’s turn to do something amazing… mic drop.

My mind goes back to the phone conversation with our youngest son. His second outdoor climbing experience had landed him in a rough patch. Rough enough to think he had no other way than to figure out how to keep going up to his belayer, or freeze in absolute fear.

Ian - Outdoor climbing

During this moment of figuring it out he said “I have never felt so alive.”

Whether spectator or rider, the art of finding the strength, the extra strength, to finish the race, beyond an existence, is as vital as a heartbeat.

Climb up.

That’s my Sunday Amen.

To live is rare.

Habakkuk 3:19