A Peak Weekend

This has been a peak weekend in many ways, starting yesterday with Hugh and me hiking to the top of Mount Pisgah.  What a trek!  It was only 3 miles, round trip, but I'd forgotten how steep it is toward the end and how thin the air is at 6,000+ feet.  On the way up, I remembered the last time I had walked it-about 30 years ago with Barbara and Derick.  I recall they were very tired and whining a bit and I kept saying, "if you want to see the view, you have to climb the mountain."  As you can see, the view is still spectacular!

Cold Mountain from Mt. Pisgah

Today I finally got to experience Jubilee after hearing about it for many years.  It was one of the best religious experiences I've ever had !  It's right up there with my first time at Unity and my first sweat lodge and first sun dance.  It was exciting, inspiring, hope filled and happy all at once.  I've never seen anything like it!

The seating was circular and the service began with burning sage, honoring the 4 directions-I was hooked!  Then there was a song "to celebrate the path of yes indeed".  It was adapted from a slave song and was about following the "drinking gourd", the big dipper.  The current theme for the celebrations (aka services) is finding your bliss.  Everything that was done focused on this.  The chorus was:

 follow the drinking gourd,
follow the drinking gourd,
for the spirit is awaiten'
to carry you to freedom.
follow the drinking gourd.

As Howard Hanger, the leader, delivered the message he interspersed it with song.  It was wonderful!  He would speak for a few minutes then sing for a few.  It was all so cohesive.  He also read verses from the bible, from the tao te ching and Jewish scriptures.  There was also a baptism, responsive reading and more songs. 

As I glanced at the program bulletin, under "meditation readings", I saw "the road waits" and I teared up.  When I was finally able to read it, here's what I found"

the road waits.
do not ask questions but when it invites you to dance at daybreak, say yes.  each step is the journey; a single note the song
arlene gay levine

I felt so affirmed by and connected with this community and was so glad that I came.

After the service, I walked around the block and stopped at Jack in the Woods, a pub, for lunch.  The menus listed something called a Scotch egg which sounded very good.  It's a boiled egg, coated with a mixture of sausage and bread crumbs, then fried.  It's served on a bed of sauteed greens with vinegar.  The egg had delicious mustard called Lusty Monk, made locally, as was the sausage.  A Rogue Dead Guy Ale complemented the food perfectly for a highly memorable meal!

Then I hopped on the Vespa and headed for Mt. Mitchell, elevation 6,684 feet.  The sky was blue, the air was cool and the ride was exhilarating.  I remembered going there with my Mom many years ago.  She loved the mountains and the vistas.  Her asthma kept her from walking very much, but we always had fun taking time to enjoy the journeys and there were many of them. 

View from Mt. Mitchell

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fine holiday!