Spring Returns...

I’m not sure anyone opened our doors to spring better than Billy, the amazing son-in-law. He’s quiet, but atrociously funny. And smarter than most of us… http://www.wdepriest.com/

Today, I’m in shorts, mowing the lawn. Bad news, because we have many more weeks of wet weather and there will be consecutive weeks when the mower won’t agree to go outside. It will sit in the garage, waiting for better weather. Over my shoulder is The Mountain, as Meriwether Lewis noted, “The pinnacle of the round topped mountain, which we saw a short distance from the banks of the river…” Native Americans called it Wy’east, victor of many battles between Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens …

Moving away from Portland in 1979, to the flatlands of Orange County , I couldn’t believe how attached I had become to Mt. Hood . I’d arise each morning, hoping for smog-free skies, looking to the East. Hoping there could be a spiritual Guide, looking out for me. None appeared.

We moved again, yet nothing had moved in to take its place. I could visit the ocean, see the sun set on the Golden Gate . Each are touching memories. Each home we built together was special, giving rise to laughter, some amazing “antique” pictures, and events none of us will ever forget.

Then, we moved back to Portland . We could see the Mountain from our deck. Driving to work each morning, I could check the weather by what kind of Mountain appeared. Not only does it have its own sayings…”If you can’t see the Mountain it must be raining….if you can see it the rain will come soon.” But it also has its own magnetism. Better from distance than while standing on its slopes.

Why today…a gorgeous spring day, to think of The Mountain?

I began my Monday with a phone call from a dear friend and work colleague. She was simply inquiring about my health, because she’d had some difficult news. A special person to both of us was diagnosed with breast cancer. In college, this special person was adored by all. I was lucky enough to play intramurals with her boyfriend, who’d someday become her husband. They went on about life, we went on about ours…and yet reconnected when I took my current position. He’d fought lymphoma, so we learned we had far more in common than aging ratball stories.

Disturbed, and so challenged by my first interaction at work this week, I opened my email to find that yet another friend, once again a spouse of a special doctor, had also been diagnosed with cancer. The days passed in something of a trance, as I worried about their families, their kids, the ways that each collection of special friends would step forward to offer compassion and grace. Could it get worse?

On Thursday, while quickly perusing the obituaries, yet another friend had passed away. Was it Divine Intervention that caused me to read them that day? How would I have felt without knowing of her passing? Of course no one would call me, we weren’t that close. Her husband worked for me, once upon a time and far ago…but we’ve stayed in contact and laugh over cocktails from time to time. I'd spoken with him but three weeks ago, and she was "recovering" from difficult surgery and radiation, but the arc was upward, not down.

The Mountain remains steadfast. Thank GOODNESS we had sun all week. I could drive home and see it in the distance, just barely over a different river. I could go to Judy’s and see it glowing in the sunset, while everything else grew dim. It could anchor me on the way to the funeral this morning.

Thank you, God, for sharing your natural wonders with us. Spring isn’t just the crack of the bat, or the whistle of the slice toward the condos. It is the Mountain, covering the sunrise and giving us a marker for spring. When the sun rises on the Mountain, we know that summer cannot be far. More than that, however, we know that our Lord remains constant, watching over us like a Mountain in the distance, caring for all the changes we recognize….and serving as a sentinel when we need Him the most.

Super Sunday...

Who'd have guessed that the Anointed One would throw an interception with the game on the line? No SportsTalk radio here, I didn't really care who won...aside from the various rumblings that Manning might be better than Joe Montana, because Montana had a better supporting cast. When Peyton has four rings, we'll talk about it. His eyes didn't have it tonight, but Joe's piercing look through his career commanded respect.

Such a nice weekend. Super Bowl party with some doc friends, relaxing and listening to their journeys for sports. As the eldest in the room, and kids who've played so many sports, it is a delight to hear that others are off to Spokane, Bend, or somewhere distant to watch their kids. More of a relief, though is that no one in attendance knew my health status. I wasn't explaining diagnostics, thanking others for complimenting me on my looks, or trying to deflect conversation away from personal challenges. I could just sit and eat, and eat, and eat, and eat. Isn't that the American Pastime on SuperBowl Sunday?

Jillian and I travel only as far as to watch the grandsons right across town, such an easy game. We get to watch Connor learn how to play with bigger kids. Caleb shooting with both hands because he doesn't even think whether he's left or right-handed. Nate would have loved it, I sounded just like him..."If the referee tried as hard as these kids, everyone would be better off." One simply can't referee from three-point arc to three-point arc when the kids can get up and down the floor in fifth and sixth grade, you actually have to ACT like you are paying attention. Kids want to listen and respect a referee, it is easy for them to lose that respect. I didn't really think that coaching in practice was my forte'. Scouting the kids on the floor was great fun--and coaching game situations was the best of all. Who can really box out? Who is balanced and moves their feet instead of trailing and fighting with their hands? Who can dribble with either hand and their head up? What's the best match up?

Wine tasting, with lots of seafood and chocolate on Friday night? Life is good!

And then, on the way home from a long weekend, the second flat tire I've experienced in my driving career. Truly a nuisance, never a task that fits into one's plans. As I was changing to the helpful mini-spare, I did some math. As much as I didn't want to waste the time with a flat, or dragging everything out of my trunk, I've probably driven 1.3 million miles in the forty years I've had my license. A flat tire every 650,000 miles isn't really much to worry about. I can remember exactly when we had the other...Nate and I were driving our Bronco north to Portland to trade it for a Ford van with Uncle Paul--and busily singing "Diamonds on the Souls of her Shoes" with Paul Simon. My traveling companion was about nine years old, just like Graceland....We drove that car five years, messed with the darn spare tire mounted on the back--entry door the whole time, and used the spare exactly once....when we were driving it to trade in. It will be fun to see how my friends at Les Schwab figure the deal out tomorrow.

And, while we're counting our blessings this weekend, I could have been shoveling snow for hours and hours. MUCH more fun to watch Billy's blog (http://www.wdepriest.com/) and the Weather Channel than to grab a shovel and go outside.

February Begins!!

Some easy updates:

-- Attended a class that happened to take place in San Diego when Schlager and Glover would both be down there, too. So the Three Amigos were able to enjoy a couple of meals together, find a tee time, and laugh more than three adults deserve. Great time, great weather. The class was actually a chance to learn new things, too!

-- Got back in time to hit the dance floor with Ms. Jillian Saturday night. We enjoy attending black-tie gala in Hillsboro each year, because this one features dancing rather than silent auctions and lots of donated money. The blue hairs head out early, we get to listen to “Music by Design” and remember what the Prom might be like. (http://www.designband.com/about.html)

-- Watched the “Killer” of our era in athletics take command of the Australian Open. Roger Federer seems like such a nice guy. He has the body of a guy who loses in the third round. He has the eyes of a champion, and even still has all his endorsement money coming in, too.

-- Made plans for this year’s Valentine’s adventure. Just chocolate and pinot noir in the Willamette Valley , but we’ll be with good friends and save a bunch of money over flying to Napa . Probably have the same good time later in the year, most likely Santa Barbara County or Paso Robles.

-- With oncology still on the back burner, met with both my internist and my dermatologist. Doesn’t everyone have all these specialists once they cross the threshold into their Fifties?

Things are going well. We had a wonderful sales year at work, in 2009, even if I had to miss significant chunks of time. People with whom I work respect my efforts, and nobody even asks about the masters program any longer. With one exception, I guess. A good friend manages a physician clinic and is studying for the MCAT so that she can apply to the OHSU medical management MBA program, and she says it is all my fault…that I got her interested in adult education and made her confident that she could succeed by going back to school, too.

Trust me….I’d much rather have that impact on folks than hear that someone got a colonoscopy all because of me, but I’ll take either outcome!