Non-Linear Walking

This walk today is one of many, many we have taken together. Over the past 23 years we have taken many steps alone and with other people. Our first walk was in the desert over 2 decades ago but it was hotter and our packs were heavier, our consciousness newer, our familiarity with the desert still fresh. We saw the same rock and patterns in those rocks as we do today but they always look different. Different especially for me on this day - an eye socket here, a foramen there, is that the cuboid on the lateral edge of that cliff? If an on-going reflex was engraved by the wind into the wall - would it look like that?

And then the river. On that first scorching hike we did down the Grand Canyon in the parched late spring landscape, I remember when we came finally to the river, that it was the lifeline of the canyon and the center of the universe in that moment. Today, walking along the river was easy as it flowed by, along with conversation, thousands of days of our collective lives and experience, walking and talking along the life blood of the canyon - flowing somewhat contained in its vessels - channeling down on its visceral journey down in elevation and effectively back in time. A primal journey.

The water is quieter than it should be, so much water and force but so quiet in this section, so resolute flowing toward an uncertain canyon destination. Seemingly contained. Over the years our times together have been significant but not plentiful We know each other deeply but it isn’t because of amount of time together. What has it been that has contained our relationship and made it so natural, so clear? How is it that our collective container is so well-defined and yet seemingly infinite.

We have showed up for each other, with varying density over the past 2 decades…weddings, funerals and various rites of passages in between. Our friendship today as we walked, and as we have walked together over the years has been an affirmation of the power of being present, being in right relationship, going with ease, exercising non-judgement and the effectiveness of support whether close by or from a distance.