Day 2.0 ~Penitent~

Photo Credit, Gary Hussey.

Sleep doesn't come so easily tonight. It started great. I closed my eyes and saw each of my grandchildren. I kissed their little sleeping faces and said goodnight. I prayed over each of them in turn, then my children, their spouses and my other close relatives. I said my prayers, which is a new development. I had forgotten how to talk to Him. 
I chose my resting spot to be the waterfall at the creek. I slowly but deliberately climbed the hill through the tangled roots and rock outcroppings, remembering the route still after so many years. I could hear the water. Louder... louder still, until I was there. I nimbly jumped from the trail to the large rock. I could feel the spray lightly on my skin. I lay down in my magic bedroll (sometimes a hammock or a tent) and settled in. The sound of the water was joined by frogs in the nearby pool and then by crickets in the distance.
Rest wouldn't come. I was uncomfortable in the spot of my choosing.The rock and the humidity of an early July night combined with the fine misty spray from the falls began to permeate my bedroll. Knowing that I could chose to move easily, it's in my mind after all, I for some reason continued to be content in my discontent. I was comforted by my discomfort.
I talked with God again. I talked about decisions I had made in the past. I asked that the ramifications of those decisions be cleansed from the hearts and emotions of others. I asked for the lasting scars caused by me and carried by others, to be healed.
As I rolled over to try to find more comfort, a dog began to bark. I covered my head, knowing that the dog wasn't there..... not in my chosen spot for the night.
So... here I sit, blinking cursor mocking me, typing Day 2.0.
Time to give sleep another chance. Perhaps find a more comfortable place to rest.

Day 1~ Awakening~

Day 1 ~ Last night I couldn't fall asleep but instead of watching TV or playing games, I just lay there thinking. I thought about my Granny and I closed my eyes. I could see her crooked smile and blue eyes as clear as if she were standing right there. I thought to myself, "Wow, that's pretty cool what you just did there." So I closed my eyes and I went to Hurricane Creek. I was lying in the hammock with the sun filtering through the tree top canopy. I could hear the creek off and down to the right, bubbling over the rocks, into the pool and eddying into Dragon Beach. To the left I heard a woodpecker hammering away at an old growth pine for his dinner. I could smell the mossy forest floor and the campfire remains. I drifted off to sleep in the hammock and awoke here, in my bed.
Tonight, I am going to close my eyes, kiss each of my grand babies on the forehead. I plan on sleeping at Hurricane Creek again tonight. Maybe tomorrow night I will sleep in the mountains above Salt Lake City or at Liefestes Fishing camp on the Llano River.
Somewhere along the line, I lost my imagination. I got so busy doing and being that I forgot that I am an artist, a photographer, a writer, a poet and many, many other things. But mostly.... I forgot that I am happy because I forgot that I am a child of the Most High God and I am PRECIOUS in His eyes. Thank You, Jesus for being my Savior.
I leave you with this photo from my archives. It's Hurricane Creek, where I will be sleeping.