Last week I ventured away from the desert to visit a friend in Maine who’s living with a significant health issue. She’s been a friend since 1971 and is the reason I moved to Arizona in the first place. The Seed wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t decided to come visit her in January 1973. Eventually she left to return to the east coast, and I stayed. It was one of the most significant decisions of my entire life.
I’ve been to Maine at least a dozen times over the last 50 years, always in the summer when it’s green, lush, and generally warm. Our days together included hanging out on the screened-in porch of the log home my friend and her husband built on Quaker Point Road, sailing on the New Meadows River which opens into Casco Bay, and taking long walks at nearby Popham Beach. Our summer visits were interspersed between years of being far away from each other, and each time we were together we picked up where we left off. Our friendship has endured beyond time and space.
My recent visit was different from the rest in that it occurred during winter. Our normal activities were not possible because they required warm days and being near a large body of water that was not frozen. The seasonal difference invited cozy conversations by the wood stove and hearty warm meals. A common activity of both summer and winter was walking along forested paths and roads with one significant difference, the presence of snow.
The day before I was scheduled to fly out, a mega-storm swept across a large section of our country. Proactively, I changed my plane reservation to leave a day later, to avoid scrambling due to last minute cancellations. As the snow began to fall on Sunday afternoon, I was glad I made that decision. When we woke up the next morning, twelve inches of snow were on the ground. It took awhile to clear the driveway and path into the house, as well as remove snow from the vehicles.
Later that day when it warmed up to 11 degrees, I was able to take one final walk around the point. Part of my walk was along plowed snowy roads, and one section involved trudging through fresh, untouched snow. I was glad to have had my days of experiencing winter again, and equally happy to be heading back to the warm desert. Both the time with my friend and the immersion in cold weather took me back to significant memories of my past that have contributed to who I am today. As I flew back across the country, my heart was filled with a sense of resilience and deep love that will be integrated into the way I show up in the days that lie ahead.