January 2, 2011,Lakewood,CO
12:54:03, hours MST
...continued hiker’s journal…
Along with this letter around the Solstice please find my Card to you.
Hopefully you find yourself ensconced in some worthy endeavor capable and suiting to your presence.
Please forgive my inability to email you over the past holiday- time, as I haven’t wanted to go higher on the professed resource- chain and pay ‘a provider’ for Internet convenience from my home.
Some of you already know, along with this sentiment; I as well have been engaged long-term to go easier on the resources, food/caloric intake [eating closer to the ground…less processed cheesy-fries and kettle-potted tater chips, etcetera etc.] - more “usable proteins and complex- carbohydrates…” and I gave up sport-shopping long ago. I enjoy creating things for those I know rather than buy in a store, although I love buying food for people as some of you will attest to. Go figure, huh?
The Elk of the forests― just being on the forest and experiencing the thundering of the hoof- beats reverberating from the duff has cleared a place in my heart that prods my energies these lo- many years toward things and circumstances that have an illuminating effect on the body mind metabolism. Somehow, shopping for success , eating wrong and keeping the exercising of body to the minimum are no longer choices for me.
My body/ mind continuum is compelled by some innate power within to be healthy in the realms of the interior life we all possess. By extension the outer face of life is subsumed in this too.
My inkling in this respect, my view from in here is to give the metabolism of this body the life- force so that it can carry this spirit inside with this intellect and physical ness to places the car and the modern conveyances can not.
Hence some of the archival prints I have shared with you over the years. So in total, I am grateful to know you and do treasure your company when we are together. This is not wasted upon you I pray, for it is not wasted on me and I dearly desired to share this notion and sentiment with you at this, at times vexing moment of uncertainty in our cultural histories. May the presence of your own inherent energies give rise to your wherewithal and abilities to be present and of some usefulness to those you come in contact with.
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I am now renting a place, which I anticipate moving away from sooner than later. This place is temporary as most events in my living have shown to be, this one non- withstanding.
Working is okay after the many years of the so- called retirement and besides this activity gives me something to do and some pin- money to pay living expenses, which some of you may consider useful to our human- condition.
I asked to be hired-on with full knowledge from the director of the agency that she “will not be able to pay me what [I’m] worth,” and have, still, an unmet debt to my monetary benefactors; hence the reasoning of eating closer to the weeds, if you may. I may go to work in the future for one of the agencies within State government, and again accrue some financial means to become solvent. In the short- run, although my money- picture does not approach being in the black, it is a stepping place from which to gather my energy for a fruiting of the money- tree to stave off the creditors. Any gravy will go to walking off some miles away from the always present line of traffic.
Ellie- Mae has been placed at a home with a family who is raising their toddler and I pray that this family will grow to be in love with her, as some of you have already experienced. Kyle was. His boys seemed to be and I suspect his ex-wife was at one time as well. She lived with me for nearly a year after Kyle passed- on and I believe she benefited from the 30 some odd miles or more a week we put on, virtually all the past year. She stopped being a “round” dog and leaned up and muscled- up and the arthritis she may have had seemed to ameliorate some. I love this dog and like my love for Kyle, both live on in my memory. Something beautiful opens in the human- spirit during the silences of spending time, don’t you think?
Not all is communicated by our busyness of speaking words, hence this letter to― you- all― this Sunday on a warming winter day.
I walked up past Clear Lake on Guanella on Christmas Eve. The temperature dropped like a rock as the sun slid behind the horizon there at 10000 ft. I missed taking Ellie along with; however found this a way to grieve a little more the unconditional love she had for me at the time. I thought briefly, how much I needed a place to live and that this place came along at the crucial time although the landlord/ manager was adamant about dogs. He said,” Mark, remember no dogs, not even on the weekends…” Going- fast has NEVER produced effective long- term results for me. I went fast and thought I needed THAT place. I do suspect you have made similar avoidable mistakes in your brand of going- fast?Two Families gave both Ellie and I sheltering as I cobbled- together rent money for the 1st week of November. Anyway, enough about this.
The Quote by Ivan Illich, in the body of the email this letter and Solstice Card were attached to, brings to mind how much less energy and time we as the purported American- Consumer actually have at our fingertips or better yet at the soles of our feet to actually use for our own creativity. In my estimation it is by gaining experience on-the-ground that makes us aware of our own metabolisms.
The years backpacking have inculcated me with the tenacity to continue to bring illumination where there is darkness and understanding where there is ignorance. As well a love, or an in- love feeling with the world as seen with my eyes and felt by the ever-changing feeling of the spirit while walking around on our planet with a back- pack on my back. I attempt this locally with those that I acquaint with and with those that know me. Some of the time I fall short of your expectations, please find forgiveness for this attribute in my character.
In my estimation it is by gaining experience on-the-ground that makes us aware of our own metabolisms. I noticed the manner in which my body was burning energy. I suspect it went from aerobic to anaerobic burning, I felt it. I noticed on the walk this cool morning before sun- up on the way to a church I attend― the crunchiness and texture of the cold snow underfoot and became thankful again for the years of living outside and presently for the wherewithal to continue to be athletic out-of-doors at this wonderful time of year. Oh, how I love the pre- dawn of the winter at our Latitude here!
Again, my friends, thank you for your kind attention to my effort here and May the light of the day bring solace to your soul.
markie p.
Moon setting… Georgetown, CO
©mposinoff images 2010
