Friday, June 25, 2010

To learn as we grow old the secrets of our souls

We drove to Baltimore this afternoon without speaking, the same route we’ve taken for years. We never know if it will be good news or bad. But today it was good.

As I steered the car through the streets of the city, a familiar song came on the radio. I hadn’t heard this particular song in a long long time and could not think of who the artist was but I knew the words, and it was a sad song in a way.

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Between the silence of the mountains

And the crashing of the sea

There lies a land I once lived in

And she's waiting there for me.

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I'm looking for someone to change my life.

I'm looking for a miracle in my life.

And if you could see what it's done to me

To lose the the love I knew

Could safely lead me to

The land that I once knew.

To learn as we grow old

The secrets of our souls.

The song is Question by The Moody Blues. I was in ninth grade when I first heard it and I thought it was beautiful.

On the way home from Johns Hopkins, crossing the Susquehanna on 95, we both glanced north and saw an angry sky. I was driving and hoped we’d make it home before it hit us. Five minutes later, a smattering of rain led to a full-force white-knuckled ride where small branches of trees were flying across the road and cars were slowed to about 20 mph with many of them lined up on the shoulder with their flashers on, waiting it out. Our exit was the next one and I could barely see. There was lightning and thunder crashing and all I could think of was how scared George must be in the house all alone.

Luckily, the driveway stayed clear and just as we got home, the rain began to abate. And suddenly, all was well. There was a very happy dog to greet us when we opened the door. And we had good news for him.

Top photo taken at Great Head, Acadia National Park, Maine. Bottom photo taken at Schoodic Point, on the Schoodic Peninsula, also a part of the national park.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

Until tomorrow, my friends . . .

41 comments:

Jen at Cabin Fever said...

My sister at home on the shore and I up here in Vermont were texting each other photos of the approaching storms where we each were. Ahh, sisterly bonding.

Glad you made it home safe! The radar down there look gnarly.

Andi said...

Yeah for good news!! :) How metaphoric it was how quickly the storm turned and cleared, as do many of the storms do in our lives?

Mary said...

So glad your news was good! And it's always good to come home out of the storm... Luckily, we missed any storms, as Katie's graduation was outside tonight. :)

Char said...

((hugs)) i'm always happy with good news. xo

GailO said...

Yeay for good news!

I haven't listened to the Moody Blues in a long time...maybe I'll go check out iTunes:)
xo

Julie Harward said...

The Moody Blues...I remember them, good song. Yay for your good news and safe return to home with all well :D

Lili said...

Beautiful post, and not only because of the lovely images of Maine, but for the sweet good news and the loyal doggie I could picture waiting there for your return. xo ~Lili

Skeletalmess said...

Such wonderful serene images,glad you made the journey home safely.

Best wishes on the good news, and if you would,give George a belly rub for me.

Michelle said...

What a poignant post; I'm glad all is well for now. That's the most any of us get - the "for now."

Holly said...

I still love the Moody Blues. I think I loved every song on that album and played it over and over. I am glad for the good news!

I totally love all those photos too.

Chocolate Cat said...

So glad it was good news this trip and that you got home to your boy safe and sound.

Sweetpea said...

oh my dear CG, I cannot fathom these routes you & yours have taken for so long...

OH HAPPY NEWS!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yay for the blessed news!! Have a great weekend . Hugs from Tennessee!

Donna said...

Blessed good news....

Jayne said...

Glad the news was good, even if you had to endure the downpour on the way home. The sun always does come out! :c)

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Always love to hear of the arrival of good news. Enjoy your weekend!

Barb T. said...

Great to hear there was good news, Kate!
I loved--and still enjoy-- the Moody Blues, and I played their vinyl-lol-til there were even deeper grooves.
I knew the 2nd photo was Schoodic even before you said; God, I wish I was there!!!

maillady said...

hey katie,
so glad all is good. we had a hard hit form the storm here.. tree limbs everywhere. tom and bry were at the phillies game and it was a mess there too. anyway , beautiful pictures , beautiful song. and beautiful life....

Hilary said...

"We never know if it will be good news or bad"......ah, yes, I know that feeling....
Congrats to all three of you.
I recently read The Life of Edward Sawtelle, and when he writes the chapters where Almondine, the dog, is talking, I couldn't help but think of your George, and my Ed, who talk so well.:)

Marilyn said...

You will grow old and learn the secrets of your souls.

One of my husbands favorite songs and groups.... would drive me insane making me "listen" to the words....really LISTEN....
I obviously didn't hear what he did!!!! :)

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you must have had a restful sleep then....good news and weathering a bad storm will do that to you.

Daryl said...

Excellent .. it never even rained here in the city .... but in Queens, I understand, there were a lot of downed trees

Ellen said...

What beautifully serene pictures.

Lucia said...

Yes, it's MOODY BLUES and it just gave me the chills and words sang through my memory!

Lucia said...

I'm happy for your good news.

Infrequent Flyers said...

Such a melancholy post, made me nostalgic for Baltimore and JHU, which is where I went to college. Hope happy to come home to George, waiting to greet you with the clearing weather.

Mental P Mama said...

Phew!!! The Moody Blues are playing here on July 13th...Wanna come?

The Weaver of Grass said...

I am so pleased that the news was good Kate -

abb said...

Love the Moody Blues - what memories they bring back!
That storm missed us here in Norwalk, but boy did Bridgeport get hammered!
So so so so very happy your and hubby's news was good! That makes me very happy!

Tiggeriffic said...

Answered prayers are always welcome. That way you know God is listening. Glad you received good news.
We had a horrible tenacious storm the other night.. the heavy lid on my outdoor fireplace went flying to ? not sure.. I've looked in the cornfields, the ditches,, the nieghbor's ditches with no finding. The corn is above my head now, so couldn't see too far into the field.. It will come up this fall probably when the corn is harvested.
I love it when I come home,, the little dog that is staying with us right now is so happy when she hears the door open.. Dogs are our welcoming commitee~! Love It~!~!

Carolynn Anctil said...

Striking photos. Very melancholy lyrics. I'm glad to hear the day ended well and the news was good!

Anonymous said...

That's wonderful about the good news. I presume that the appointment at Johns Hopkins went very well. Poor - poor George to have ridden out the storm all alone.

Lori said...

Moody Blues -- An all time great band! Glad you news was good.

Low Tide High Style said...

I'm so glad that your husband received good news yesterday!!

And I was driving the Bay Bridge during the storm, but the worst part of it went north of there, thankfully! It was very cool to look at though with the intense lightning and on the eastern side of the bridge the waves were huge, but by the time I got to AA county it was calm.

Kat :)

Anonymous said...

Same old same old here... just HOT and HUMID, so thick you can touch it. No storms here... just a bit of rain Monday morning. Actually I love a good rain and thunder storm. They are kind of exciting.

Di

ELK said...

kate ..you captured the feeling beautifully with the lyrics of that classic song (moody blues ...sigh) the images to match and the activity as you drove..you are a simply wonderful storyteller!!

Donna S. said...

Awesome news!!!

Anonymous said...

Glad that you got good news AND that y'all got home safely!

I don't remember the song but will cut and paste to save as a poem :)

Linda (GillLink)

FireLight said...

Thank God for good news! I really like these lyrics! And I always love your photos!

The JR said...

Soooooo glad for the good news.

And I bet the Black and White was glad to hear it too.

Jan's camera said...

Beautiful post and lovely photos.