Monday, June 7th, 2010

In one of my many adventures on foot through the NE Alleyways in Portland, I stumbled across several things that provoked me to stop and gaze at these objects/life/buildings and the brokenness and neglect that gets waived by, as who sees the alleyway behind these large, some elegant, some not so homes? I do. I see the letting go of things people feel completely helpless in...projects started, and left years ago, uncompleted, partly painted, or demolished- and craving for its life to be completed.

©brokenimagery

However, we get busy in the worlds that we dwell in. Things go untouched for years, in fact we often go without being touched for years...and not necessarily a physical one, but perhaps a spark within our core beings- we build walls and have large signs posted on our hearts- "No Trespassing." So, challenged by the vast world that goes untouched and see faces that bare the walls they've built around their hearts, I simply remain silent and only expose my witnessing this within the eye contact I bravely make for a small fraction of a moment.

On May 7th, 2010, I stumbled along these alleyways I speak of...finding all sorts of treasures for my camera to look at, the instant desire to put my right index finger on a button, and click.

One thing that caught me by surprise, was the siding of this let go garage, and the moss clothed gutter that awkwardly ran up the side of it...I could see that something else had traveled its unknown path...my heart was instantly intertwined in this slugs old path, and my eyes fixated on what laid ahead of it in the distance. A large Doug Fir standing tall, slightly tipsy like its had a few whiskeys over its life time- and stood against many harsh winds and rain falls...we are all like this tree I speak of...we waver at times because we can't always stand tall, armored in strength and courage...nope, we lean, and if we are lucky, we have something or someone there that witnesses this and becomes a stake attached at our sides- guiding us with love and encouragement.

As I laid in the mercury mud, and wet dandelions, I curved my body so I could experience the fullness of this path that was clearly headed somewhere. Further more, I realized, much like this old slugs trail and reminisce of it, was like all of us. Sometimes we just go, without knowing, caution, or direction. We get lost along the way, we love, hurt, grow, and accept the biggest thing of all at the end of our unknown journey- the person we became on that exploration.

I never thought I would find a slugs trail so enchanting, or a mossy covered gutter so warmly inviting. It captured my heart, and it still does.

Here's to the paths traveled thus far, and greater, the one that lays ahead of us...