"Wander wherever your curiosity takes you..."

-an information sign upon entering the “trail-less” Great Sand Dunes National Park

There are some places and experiences that stand out in my memory whether for their beauty, the experience, the company with whom I witnessed them, or a combination of the above. I was going to list a few of my favorites here, but the list just kept getting longer, so I’ll just let you think of your own. The most recent addition to my “awesome experiences/places list” is the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Southern Colorado. I cannot quite put into words the beauty that lay before my friend, Missy, and me as we stood in awe admiring the dunes while the sun sank behind them last weekend. The clouds were catching shadows of sunlight from beyond the dunes as they slowly cleared from the passing storm. When we looked to the north we could see the outline of snow capped peaks hidden from view by the clouds; as we looked to the south, there were flat plains with low clouds hovering just above them. And directly in front of us lay the dunes — calm, peaceful, looking like delicately shaped mounds of soft leather. It was in that moment that I found myself compelled to sing praises to the Lord as I witnessed more of His beautiful creation, I could not help it. I continue to be blown away by the vast variety and creativity that this world has to offer, and I’m not even thinking about the impressive creativity produced by man — although there is a good amount of that as well, which I also attribute to the Creator who made us to be creative beings.

When we woke in the morning, the sun was hitting the sand perfectly, resembling mounds of gold waiting to be discovered against a backdrop of clearing rain clouds. We spent a good part of the morning slowly making our way to the top of the highest dune. The view from the top was breathtaking as miles of dunes stretched before us leading up to the mountains in one direction and into the plains in the other. Enough of my descriptions, go and see for yourself. And if you cannot, here are some pictures to give you just a sense of the fantastic scenery. (there is also a short video documenting the fun Missy and I had at: http://youtu.be/FUFqdVhM_jU).

 

The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.  

They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them. 

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world. 

                                       ~Psalm 19:1-4

I have three weeks left in Colorado Springs. Three brief weeks to enjoy the company of friends with whom I instantly bonded. Three brief weeks to appreciate the surrounding beauty and opportunities that amaze me daily. Three brief weeks to leave an impression on the families and children I work with. This week I started preparing my patients and their families for the transition to a new therapist. I have gotten a variety of reactions when I break the news. No sighs of relief, which I suppose is a good thing, but I have had a few parents be particularly upset, and I can understand why. I was trying to explain to one parent that “this is what I do, I’m a traveling speech therapist”. As I heard myself say those words I began to wonder how that sounded to her and to other parents and friends. “This is what I do, I build relationships, and then I leave. I break children’s hearts, I disappoint, I abandon.” Horrified, I wondered if that is the impression I am leaving. A friend once sent me a link to the song For Lovin’ Me by Peter, Paul & Mary, saying it reminded her of me. Although the context and the sentiment of the song is far from how I feel about my relationships and my travels, I can see where she is coming from, and it makes me sad to think that this is how some people might think of me. The lyrics include:

That's what you get for lovin' me. I ain't the kind to hang around with any new love that I've found. Movin' is my stock in trade, I'm movin on. I won't think of you when I'm gone. So don't you shed a tear for me, I ain't the love you thought I'd be, I've got a hundred more like you, so don't be blue, I'll have a thousand 'fore I'm through....But then someday when your poor heart is on the mend, I just might pass this way again. That's what you get for lovin' me...

This is the part of being a nomad that I hate. The part where I get to leave feeling like my life has been enriched by the experiences and the relationships that I’ve formed, but when it seems like no one else sees it that way. I leave expecting that I will see my friends again (see bits and pieces), I leave hopeful that I have been used in some way to bring light into someone’s life. I leave, and they stay. I have to be reminded that not everyone thinks like I do, and that disconnect is what I so dislike. I don’t mean to build false hopes, to disappoint, to leave people feeling abandoned, that is not my intention at all, and I hope I can somehow ensure that my friends here understand that before I leave.

 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.     ~ Isaiah 40:28