"Passing Forward Smiles Over Many Years..."

It has been over ten years now since Jonathan M. and I crossed trails up near Fortress Mountain...
That was about ten years in as well into this little Summit Stone endeavour. I had placed a small touchstone up there and Jonathan had discovered it while adventuring solo himself in that unique wild place. His interest was then to set us both on a further course that has been a gift in us staying connected.
It is always wonderful to become friends with another kindred spirit, who so enjoys adventuring, and then also believes in giving back & passing forward in support of the wild places and other such causes.
This past summer Jonathan himself placed a few Summit Stones and said of one: "I left a Summit Stone at the Junction Mtn. summit registry yesterday. It looks like only about two entries per year here, so it may be a while before this one is found!".

A DSD Summit Stones Blog comment from a 'Finder' whose appreciation echoed about Jonathan's efforts wrote: "We were hiking at one of our favourite spots today, Junction creek falls, July 1, 2015. We were lucky enough to find a summit stone! Our children were so thrilled and made our day extra special! Thanks for the gift".

Jonathan's daughter, Janelle, also passed forward many smiles during her own Adventure to Africa, and he said:

"Hi D! This is Miriam and Sarah in Nairobi, Kenya. My daughter spent six weeks there volunteering in a school in Kibera - the largest urban slum in all of Africa. I sent a little gift for her to pass on. These women were her "house Moms" at the volunteer housing where she stayed. The adventures these women live every day is hard to imagine. And look at the smiles!"

Also too that: "I know it's hard to see in this picture, but Miriam, on the left, is holding the summit stone that Janelle passed on to them".

I wanted to share here a Poem that Jonathan 'cobbled together' that reflects many of our shared experiences from out wandering:

"Once again, I have failed..."
I have failed once again
to make the summer days last
forever.
I have fallen miserably short
of preserving the garden
in a freshly mowed, trimmed
and manicured condition.
That lush fragrance
of orderly satisfied green shades
lingers – suspended
in the evening air -
just so long.
I have failed to halt
the ripening saskatoons
on their whiskey branches
or to hold their exuberant flavor
in my startled mouth.
I was unable to enfold
my dearest family and friends
in an everlasting embrace.
I could no more accomplish this
than I could disguise myself
from their recognition.
I could not cling to the final
resonant reverberations of our music
before they faded into perfect
silence.
I was unable to linger
any longer on the rocky ridges
the mountain pinnacles
the shadowed valleys
nor the starlit meadows
dashed with meteoric streaks.
I could not tolerate
the stinging iciness
of cascading mountain streams
any longer.
I did not retain
the pair of gangly deer
with their unusual coloration
in my gaze long enough
to learn their names.
I have failed
to preserve
the diamond bright sparkle
in the eyes of my grandson.
Or to capture his dancing
joyful motion by some device
to be carried in the palm
of my hand.
I could not stare endlessly
into the dancing flames
of firelight.
Or linger forever
meditating
on the mysterious drama
played out in the
glowing embers.
I could not prevent his
Ashes
from blowing
in the gentlest of Summer’s
sighing breeze.
Once again
I have utterly failed.
Failed to squeeze
to cajole
to in any way elicit
even one additional tick
from the relentless
unblinking clock.
I have failed to grasp
one solitary grain
of Summer’s Sands.
They have all trickled
whispering
through the gaps
in the fan
of my out splayed
imploring fingers.
Yet… . . . . . . .
I have examined a few
in their exquisite
multifaceted
minute detail
as they tumbled by.
JKM August 2015

 

Thank you my Friend for sharing in the passing forward of so many smiles over these long wonderful seasons and years..... DSD