Always On My Mind (Willie Nelson)

Sarah bought three tickets for the Outlaw Music Festival last night; Willie Nelson was the headliner but of course we were really there to see The Avett Brothers, a longtime MossFam fave ("Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name" ~ Murder in the City).

So, there was a particular song we were conjuring, which I'm not divulging here because we'll be using it in E's Celebration of Life and, as soon as we heard the opening strains, we all grasped on to each other tightly for the remainder of the song, weeping openly.

And there were two annoying drunk women behind us the whole festival but, after the song was over, one of them leaned over and said to me:  "what's your phone number?" and I said: "why?" (to reiterate, my grief reflex is Snappishness)... and she replied that she was so touched by our moment that she took a pic from above and wanted to send it to us. And then I revoked all my unkind words and thoughts about the two annoying drunk women.  The Universe does provide... 😳

Also, on the way to the venue, we saw a rainbow.  Then we arrived at the venue, got settled, and saw another rainbow.  Then another.  We all have that story, I think; what's yours? (feel free to share in a comment). After musician/friend Dave Carter passed, dragonflies were in abundance; after my mom's passing as well.  For my friend Michele, feathers appear to remind her of her mom.  For my friend Pam, dimes randomly show up for her boyfriend Michael.  We will now and forever associate rainbows with our dear Eric... 🌈

P.S.  We did stay a bit for Willie Nelson, maybe 5 songs?  Despite the fact that he's 90 (what?!?), he looked and sounded pretty d*mn great... 😀

SONG:  Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson

BOOK:  September Letters: Finding Strength and Connection in Sharing Our Stories by Brittany Snow, Jaspre Guest

POEM:  Saving Grace by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

I didn't even see

the slender red salamander

curled in the middle

of the country road,

but Brad stopped to kneel

beside it and told us

if you pick them up

by the tail, they will lose

their tail—an attempt

to distract a predator

while the rest

of the body escapes.

So tenderly, he brushed

the small amphibian

into his open palm,

then gently placed it intact

in the wet grass beside the road.

If this day were a novel,

I'd say the morning walk

was foreshadowing.

Everywhere we went

there were hands

that opened in kindness—

to greet, to serve cake,

to hug, to wave—

as if everyone agreed it matters,

the way we treat each other.

How quickly we can fall apart

when threatened.

How easily, sometimes,

we are saved.

QUOTE:  “Days of death are days when we weigh our relationship with love in our bare hands.  Days when we remember what has gone, and fear what is to come. The joy love brings, and the price we pay.” ~ The Last Devil to Die, novel by Richard Osman (thanks to MaryL for the heads-up!)