The Daily Grace
The Daily Grace

The Maine Thing.

Aug 6, 2019 | god & grace | 14 comments

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime summer for me, one filled with #lifegoals travel and life enhancing experiences. This is partly due to my approaching 60th birthday–what a fantastic excuse to use for all sorts of wonderful things–but also due to our great and unwavering commitment to making the most of every life opportunity. Our children are grown, our parents are gone, and what we are left with, in this in-between space, is time. The great consolation of time. Even more significant for us, I believe, is the immense blessing of our good health. Tim and I have the physical ability to go and do, and so we go and do. In fact that is exactly what we do.

This is key to every aspect of our lives. We are in The Golden Time (as articulated by our friend, David LaFuria) and we began planning for it long ago, just after Tim’s dad began suffering the cruel impact of Alzheimers, an horrific journey on which, I am sad to say, my own sweet Daddy recently followed.

(We do not take much for granted anymore, my husband and I.)

Still for me, with all the wonder and joy and grace my beautiful life holds, it is this summer, I believe, that will serve as the pinnacle. There has been a week at Music and Worship (choir camp!) in gorgeous, holy Montreat, North Carolina; there has been a week at the Appalachian Writers’ Workshop in Hindman, Kentucky; we are headed shortly to northern Virginia for a long weekend visit with dear, dear friends; we have, upcoming, the We-Cannot-Believe-This-Is-Happening trip, discussed for years, out west fly fishing with the dear souls who years ago, introduced us.

AND NOW WE ARE IN MAINE. We are in Maine in our rented house on the rocky coast above Bar Harbor, where we’ve come with our treasured friends, the Rojeks, in theoretical celebration of Tim’s 60th. It’s the first make-good of our promise to each other some years ago to take four such trips as these big birthdays just so happen to occur over four successive years. We’re not exactly on schedule, but that doesn’t matter. We’re here together now, and waking up this morning to an early, early coastal Maine sunrise filled my heart with so much joy it’s a wonder it didn’t burst.

I’ve dreamed of Maine for so long.

And finally, here I am.

WE EXPECT OUR WEEK will be spent hiking, biking, touring around. Yesterday we experienced gorgeous Bar Harbor (I have never seen such luscious flowers, anywhere) and today we may head for Acadia.

Or maybe not, who knows, as the planners downstairs–the three of them–are at this moment considering every option. I only know for sure this day will hold, for me, Lobster Roll #1 of the hundred I plan to eat over the course of these next six days.

Every window in this house is open, did I tell you that?

The air is cool, and fresh.

It feels like Maine. It smells like Maine.

It is Maine, the Maine of my dreams, and it has come to life.

XXOO


14 Comments

  1. Rosie Locke

    I have dreamed of visiting Maine and your words are filling in some blanks for me. In first grade, we learn to look and see. Now you learn to go and do. No wonder my favorite Fogelberg song is “The Reach.” You go, girl.

    • Cathy

      Thank you, girl!

  2. Theresa Adams

    I was born in Brunswick, ME but unfortunately don’t remember much since we moved when I was so little (military move). My husband and I visited 20+ years ago with my birth certificate in hand and found the house we lived in and hospital I was born in. So special. And we so enjoyed lobster rolls (at McDonald’s of all places), lighthouses, covered bridges, the Bush compound from afar, and absolutely beautiful scenery. Soak it all up for me, sweet lady! Love that you’re “going and doing”.

    • Cathy

      Thank you, friend. I hope you get back to Maine very soon. It misses you 🙂

  3. Lisa R.

    I can feel the air and miss that rocky coast and feel the happy., happy ,joy joy!! It is Maine…the way life should be.
    Peace and Love
    Lisa

    • Cathy

      I cannot stop thinking of you and Yvonne. And your beautiful wedding, which gave me my first good taste of Maine. Love and miss you, dear friend!

  4. SYLVIA h MEETZE

    Maine is one our favorite places. Enjoy all that part of our beautiful country has to offer. Lobster rolls are just one of the “great” things to experience. Have a great trip and make lots of memories!!!

    • Cathy

      We are making the most of it, Miss Sylvia! Thank you for the encouragement! XXOO

  5. Alice F Wyatt

    There’s something special about New England this time of the year. So glad you’re experiencing a bit of it.
    Hope you’ll get to Vermont and New Hampshire sometime in your travels.
    Alice

    • Cathy

      Yes, it is such a special place. Love you, Alice!

  6. Debbie

    I am so happy for you and Tim and your friends. I’ve always wanted to go to Maine and this is motivating me to get busy planning as I started my golden years a few years back. Thanks for the inspiration and the beautiful words and pictures. I can almost taste it!! ??

    • Cathy

      Oh, girl. Do it!

  7. Jean McElroy

    Maine is absolutely my favorite state, from BarHabor to Arcadia National Park. It is so beautiful. We were blessed to be able to stay in Bar Harbor out on a pier. Have a wonderful time and “Happy Birthday” Tim.

    • Cathy

      It does remind you that our country is filled with such immense beauty. So humbling. XXOO

Cathy Rigg Headshot

Hi. I’m Cathy.

This is a blog about writing, creative living, and grace in the everyday. It’s my hope this little spot on the internet will be for you a place of quiet and reflection, a source for inspiration, and a reminder there’s beauty all around—we simply need to keep our hearts open to see it. Thank you for being here with me.

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