I did say that I would write every night and had the best of intentions to do so. My best excuse for the lack of updates is the unexpectedly long days.
The first night started on Friday as soon as I got off work. We pulled out of Gresham OR at about 4:30 in the evening and made it to La Grande. The La Grande Inn, our host for the night, needs to do a little mattress shopping. Turns out, beds as stiff as boards do not make for the most refreshing sleep.
 |
| The amazing red rock that we found all through Utah |
We were on the road at about 6:30 the next (Saturday) morning. The well priced continental breakfast providing some minor nourishment and we put our faces toward the sun and Rock Springs Wyoming. Once in Rock Springs, we decided to taste something local and landed at some place called White Mountain Steak House. I got to tell you, those Wyoming cattle ranchers can raise some good beef. I enjoyed the best steak I've ever had in my life, bar none!
Sunday morning greeted us with another continental breakfast and an early start toward the East. The first 100 miles of Wyoming was very scenic, the reminding 300 miles was quite boring.
After 400 miles through corn town Nebraska, we made it to Lincoln. In the morning, we head for Cadiz Kentucky.
While I'm out running about the country, I missed a memorial service for my aunt that passed away last weekend. I wrote something that my Mom read at her service. As a last tribute to my Aunt, I will post what I wrote.
For each and every one of us, we’ve all taken our first
breath of life. With certain assurance, someday we will also take our last.
These are separate events in our lives that create many emotions and very
lasting impressions on those around us. It is at these two moments that many
people will have the strongest memories of us.
From the time we take that first breath, life becomes a
nonstop learning process. We start out completely innocent and blameless. We
are a work of art in which the brush has not yet touched the canvas. We have
yet to be molded and developed. In those first few hours, our only job is to be
cute. Although, some accomplish that task better than others.
As life progresses, we grow and learn. We develop
personalities, traits, characteristics. By our late teens, we are usually set
on path that we will follow for the rest of our lives.
When it’s all said and done, at that moment that we pass
through that door, those around us will often reflect on the legacy that we
left behind. This moment shall be no different.
As I consider what legacy my Aunt Sharon left for me, I
always seem to come back to one thing; learning. In the almost 43 years that I’ve
known my Aunt, I’ve watched her go through many learning experiences. I’ve
witnessed times when her character and her strength were tested for integrity.
Through it all, I’ve seen her learn and progress through life. She has taken
from the past and applied it to the future and made that future better for her
and the people around her. This is the inheritance that I shall so graciously
accept from you, that I can always learn in life and I can always apply that to
my future.
Aunt Sharon, I thank you so much for all the wonderful
comments you left for me. The compliments that you left for Bekah on facebook lifted
my soul and were such a blessing to me. I
will always cherish the wonderful things you had to say. As my way of saying
thank you, I will learn to do a better job at passing on compliments to those
around me.
Be at rest, dear Lady, you have finished well.
Need to relax a little, hope to write more soon.
-John-
