Day 14. March 14. Rest day in Tucson

Day 14. Tuesday, March 14. Rest day in home of Anne & Steve Gresham, Saddlebrook Active Adult Resort Community north of Tucson. 

Dear Trail Friends,

Steve and Anne and I were standing talking in their dining room a few minutes ago when Anne swooped over and moved me ( and my bare feet) away from a tiny scorpion which was about an inch from my toe. It's hard to believe that a creature so small could hurt so much (I've never been stung by one, but their sting is reputed to be very painful. )

Photo 1 shows the scorpion (the quarter is so you can see how tiny it is) and photo 2 shows how it glows in the dark under a black light. 

 

 

So now tomorrow, while I climb another 5000 ft or so through this heat spell (highs in the 90s - Anne says 20 degrees higher than usual for this time of year - if "usual" even has any meaning in these days of climate change), I can contemplate how a pilgrimage to a place where the people emerge out of darkness into light - intertwined somehow with a Hindu story of how Shiva swallows the poison and holds it in his throat to protect the world - might relate to this tiny poisonous creature who (like the stone I left at the border when I began this hike) glows in the dark. A creature who happens to be related to the constellation that is my astrological sign. 

I had a sweet restful day touring Saddlebrook with Anne - the first real one to one time Anne and I have ever had after years of working and socializing together. The landscaping here is incredible, large and small rocks and cacti. Very simple and elegant. The Jews of mountains are gorgeous. 

Photo 3 and 4 show Anne and Steve's back deck with the mountains in the distance and federally protected wilderness behind them. 

 

 

Photo 5 shows Anne and Steve and Sophie. Sophie is an amazing dog who knew the names of at least 50 toys and could fetch them when named. She's getting older now, less energy and motivation and hearing, but the same beautiful spirit.  

 

 

Anne showed me where they had her daughter Anika's wedding. Between strolling the setting and looking at pictures and hearing stories, I felt almost as if I went to the wedding. 

I have become aware during this visit, and at Sandy's, how important it is to witness each other. See our places and homes and objects. Hear our stories. That seems very important to this pilgrimage. One of the way we humans serve each other is by "seeing" - by holding each other in our attention and care. 

How does that relate to politics and what we can do in our troubled world? Photo 6 ( I am really breaking my rule of only 4 photos per post) shows a little plaque in Anne and Steve's kitchen. 

 

Anne and Steve follow a Tibetan Buddhist path. When I ask what can be done for our world, they remind me that the outcomes we want often have unexpected harmful consequences and the outcomes we do not want often have unexpected helpful consequences. 

Reluctantly, Steve stepped on our poisonous little scorpion visitor.