Good Courage

We are in the middle of change at Holden.  The new directors, Chuck Hoffman and Peg Carlson-Hoffman are being installed on Saturday.  Chuck and Steph Carpenter are leaving the Village after serving the past five years as directors and five years before that in a variety of positions.  We also have had several long term staff leave for new opportunities.  So lots of tears have been shed, hugs given, and hands waved as people go down the mountain.

As we say good bye, the Village sings the Song of Good Courage by Kent Gustafson.

Oh God, you have called us
to ventures where we cannot see the end.
By paths never yet taken
through perils unknown.
Give us good courage, not knowing where we go
to know that your hand is leading us
wherever we might go.

I wish each of you good courage….

I just got done reading a wonderful book, The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.  It is a story of a mother battling cancer and her son helping her through her treatments.  I know it sounds depressing but it is really just the opposite.  They form an informal book club of two, read and trade books with each other and discuss what the books mean to them.  I now have a great reading list of their favorites.

I found in reading the book that Mary Anne Schwalbe and I have a few things in common:

•   We read very fast
•   If we can’t wait to get to the end of the book, we read the last chapter just so we can find out    the ending.
•   We have children who also love to read
•   We always are reading something.

There have been times, where I have thought I was too busy to read and I know regret that I just didn’t take the time to read more.  Holden is a great place to read for there is a bit more free time, great places to curl up and read (both indoors and out), and lots of people who also enjoy reading. 

Once again, easing into retirement …..

Hold it Up to the Light

One of the recent high school seniors in his final project said that Holden is a place for people in-between, because no one can stay here forever.  But really no matter where we are in our life, we are in-between things; we just don’t know what lies ahead.  Sometimes we are faced with things that we didn’t choose: a diagnosis, death of a loved one, betrayal, an ultimatum, loss of a job…. 

And some of us just don’t make decisions well and frankly stay too long in one place.  Why?

Some welcome change, and some do not.  Some get stuck, for we fear the unknown.  Some get too comfortable and don’t consider new options.  Some feel too much responsibility for others and can’t choose what might be best for themselves.  Some get too busy with “stuff” in their lives.  Some wait for a sign that never comes.  Some cannot see themselves anywhere else or with anyone else.

When I have had to make some choices that I felt needed to be made in my life: different job, relocating, selling a house, retirement, and yes coming to Holden, I have often used the lyrics of David Wilcox’s song Hold it Up to the Light to help me in my decision.  I am hoping it might help others as they discern what might lie ahead.

Hold It Up To the Light

It's the choice of a lifetime, I'm almost sure
I will not live my life in between anymore
If I can't be certain of all that's in store
This far it feels so right

I will hold it up, hold it up to the light
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

The search for my future has brought me here
This is more than I'd hoped for, but sometimes I fear
That the choice I was made for will someday appear
And I'll be too late for that flight

So hold it up, hold it up to the light
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

It's too late, to be stopped at the crossroads
Each life here, each a possible way
But wait, and they all will be lost roads
Each road's getting shorter the longer I stay

Now as soon as I'm moving, my choice is good
This way comes through right where I prayed that it would
If I keep my eyes open and look where I should
Somehow all of the signs are in sight

If I hold it up to the light

I said, "God, will You bless this decision?
I'm scared, is my life at stake?
But I see if You gave me a vision
Would I never have reason to use my faith?"

I was dead with deciding, afraid to choose
I was mourning the loss of the choices I'd lose
But there's no choice at all if I don't make my move
And trust that the timing is right

Yes, and hold it up, hold it up to the light
Hold it up to the light, hold it up to the light

Hart Lake Trek

I am getting settled into the community where I work, live, and play.   Right now there are approximately 85 short and long term staff at Holden living alongside around 250 mine remediation workers.  This will be the last summer without guests if the work at the mine goes as planned.  We all have different work assignments during the day, but eat together three meals each day in the dining hall, sleep/live in chalets along chalet hill, worship together every evening, and participate in a variety of programming opportunities throughout the week.  Programs vary from tournaments (trivia, BB, ping pong, cribbage), movie night, ice cream at the snack bar, and coffee and conversation.  We get two days off each week – the days are dependent on your work assignment.  How did I keep busy on my days off this week?

I hiked to Hart Lake on Friday by myself.  I am grateful that I have my health and can make the walk.  On the way the only living creatures I saw were deer and on the way back I crossed paths with two villagers on their way to Hart.  It is a nine-mile round-trip hike which I have done several times on previous visits.  The first time I made the hike with Patrick and Peter in 1999.  It is strenuous but absolutely breathtaking when you cross the waterfall and can see Hart Lake.  Peter and I hiked the trail on subsequent visits and it became one of our favorite things to do when we visited Holden.

In 2011; Katie, Patrick, Andrea, Zach, Dawson, Kameron, and I made the trek to Hart Lake during out family trip to Holden.  For the newbies, it is a little hard to describe the physical wear on your body for those not used to mountain hikes and to be honest I thought I might scare them off.  We hiked that day to honor Peter and to scatter his ashes at the spot where you first view the Lake.  I was so proud of my family as we all made the nine mile journey.  Dawson wanted to walk all the way to the lake, but we were so tired we didn’t let him and he is still a bit peeved about that.  Next summer when they come visit we will all trek down to the lake and visit Peter.

On Saturday, I helped other villagers tie quilts for the five high school graduates.  The quilts were made with simple blocks of fabric that will help them remember their year(s) at Holden.  I made the binding for three of the quilts.  It felt really good to have my sewing machine out.  I started on a wall hanging for my room after the quilts were finished.  I am getting settled and feeling a part of the Village and excited about what is to come.