No bears on the trail today…

Of necessity, I had set out to pick up groceries that I ordered at Fred Meyer days ago—but on this trip, I got distracted by ALASKA…

In 30 years of Great Land living, I couldn’t have conceived a more nightmarish reality, where authorities order families to practice social distancing and wear masks to keep a disease from ravaging at-risk individuals.

But here we are…

With about an hour before my curbside grocery pickup at a back entrance at Freddy’s, I head for the newly-opened McDonald’s to savor an Egg McMuffin.

I’m AWOL today. I run errands while Carol is at home, making breakfast for Great Gram (94 years young). Then it hits me. I haven’t seen open water in months!

Not far from McDonald’s, I find a trail to Eagle River, wishing my grand-kids were with me. I seldom see them these days, though all 18 live within 25 miles. And when I do catch a glimpse, I can’t hug a single one.

Surreal.

No wildlife stirs on the river path today (but bears probably smell my Egg McMuffin). Eagle River gorges on glacier and creek snow-melt—and my future feels like a blank page…

I find a stone “table” by the river, and munch my cuisine with a Sleepy Dog mocha. My boots dangle close to sun-kissed white caps. I need this. Just for a few minutes.

Deep in the roar of water on rocks, I hear God tell me again, “Trust me. I’ve got this…”

And the verse I learned nearly 60 years ago in grade school, echoes in my soul:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” [Proverbs 3:5-6]

I will trust. He will lead…