Wednesday, October 03, 2007

At the Corner of 154th Avenue and Eternity

Generally I prefer bike rides that take longer to accomplish than the drive to them. This ride, though, was too beautiful for words. I don't completely get that, either. We all pretty much have access to the same vocabulary, but I am completely flummoxed.
I could throw some words at you, blue skies, yellow leaves, white swans, gunmetal colored water, snow covered mountains, but how to convey the feeling of speed, the light, the freedom? I think words alone can't do it, it would take music. Cue the Vivaldi. Why, I wonder, does an experience like that cause such a feeling of loss, even while you're enjoying it. When the Pevensies got a glimpse of the mountains beyond Narnia, well here, let Lucy tell it.
Lucy could only say, "It would break your heart." "Why," said I, "was it so sad? "Sad!! No," said Lucy.

Or Solomon,
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."


Whatever, speaking of things that might not be eternal, but have lasted a really long time, I got called up to the front of our little postal stand-up today and the Anchorage postmaster gave me a letter from the Alaska District Manager commending me on my 30 years with the Postal Service. It was accompanied by a pin and a brand new coat with a patch that says 30 years with the Postal Service. To keep things in perspective, though, when I got my mail today I had another letter from the Alaska District Manager reminding me not to be a sexual harasser.

1 comment:

  1. Rich Mullins had a song where he said Sometimes the night was beautiful
    Sometimes the sky was so far away
    Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
    You could touch it but your heart would break

    That is what I always think of when something is too beautiful for words.

    Also, you should talk to ambre about sexual harassment, apparently it's still alive and well and despite what mom thinks about how she dresses, it was the modestly dressed girl who apparently got all the wrong comments. . . .

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