Sacred Ground

Several years ago I began a photo project documenting roadside memorials throughout Minnesota. I consider these memorials to be markers of sacred ground - the location where someone drew their last breath and their soul was set free. They are at once tragic and yet also full of beauty. I do not know the people who are honored with these memorials; yet, when one is on my path, I try to stop, send wishes to their loved ones for peace, and pay respect to that sacred place.  The memorials serve not only as reminders of a specific person, but as reminders to all to drive with care, to treasure life, and to live in this moment. As the Memorial holiday approaches, my wish is that each of you will have moments to remember all those you love and that your travels will be safe. Happy Memorial day.

Beautiful! Gorgeous! Wish you were here....Pine River

It's been a few months since I've had an opportunity to explore any new, exotic locations. I'm getting "the itch" and hope to soon find myself out on the road once again. However, yesterday I had a chance to visit a place that, though it may not be exotic, I love just as much as any place I've visited in Spain, Ireland, or Paris - a place that although I've never lived there, feels as much like home to me as the place where I do live - Pine River.

It was a sad occasion that brought me there, which has unfortunately been the reason for my last several visits to Pine River. Yesterday I was attending the funeral service for my cousin Paul who passed away unexpectedly earlier in the week. Though the purpose of my visit was a sad one, my family and I enjoyed the time to reconnect with so many cousins and with the place that was such a part of our life story.

When I was growing up, one of the things that I looked most forward to was our summer visits up to Pine River where my Grandmother lived along with my Aunt's family. Spending a weekend there was filled with stories, laughter, good food, swimming among the snapping turtles in the dam and playing with my cousins. Through the family who lived there, I shared a connection with this place and have ever since felt a sort of possessiveness of the town that you feel for a place that you think of as home.

Even years later, that connection was confirmed again yesterday when one of my cousins (well, I guess technically, he is a first cousin once removed) came over to my parents, brothers and sisters, and I with a baby in his arms. The baby was also a cousin - well, technically, a cousin twice removed (I think). My cousin Allen was so proud to show him to show us saying that the baby certainly holds a family resemblance to one side of the family, but there was no question when looking at him that he had the "Hart eyes". Allen wanted us to see this baby who shared eyes like some of ours and like those of some of our ancestors going generations back. We share those ancestors, those connections, that home.

There are a million platitudes about "home" that all seem to find their basis in the belief that "home is where your heart is". And sometimes platitudes, though they may seem to oversimplify, are just plain true. I find my home in places where I have shared my heart, where I have shared a connection - the place where I live, places I grew up, places I visit, and most of all, of course, anywhere that my family are beside me.

I've been thinking about the idea of home quite a bit lately. My brother, Mike, is struggling right now because he finds himself between two homes and isn't sure that he belongs to either. He is adjusting to his new home at Friendship Manor where he can receive the care that he needs while at the same time missing the home he left behind with his wife, Kathy, and their dog, Katie. Today, he returned to his home for a visit and to collect a few more of his personal things that give him comfort. He is trying hard to make his new place into his home, to connect and to find comfort there. It is a struggle and though he has many people who care and who are trying to help him find peace, it is still essentially a challenge that he must face alone. Home is where the heart is...and Mike is now trying to build his home in a new place.

And so, I end where I began, with Paul's service yesterday and a quote from his prayer card that reminded me about home and gave me hope that we will all find our way there...
"For this is a journey we all must take
And each must go alone;
It's all a part of the Master's plan
A step on the road to home."