My Huckleberry Friends

My Huckleberry Friends

I have returned from a trip to the country where I spent glorious days with my son Luke, my daughter-in-law Tawna, my granddaughter T’Lee, and the dogs—Maggie, Trapper, Finder, and Poncho.

We fished, we ate, we talked and laughed, we rode around the stunning ranch, we breathed clean fresh air. We even played golf one day at a little 9-hole course down the road. Well, Tawna and I did. Luke managed the snacks and drinks on the golf cart.

As I drove out of the ranch to return to Dallas, I passed on the road an Amish couple in a horse drawn buggy. They gave me a friendly wave and I waved back. There is a solid Amish community in the area. They live mostly quiet lives. They follow strict standards of Christian morality and family life. They are a peaceful people. Hard working and immensely gifted craftsman and builders. The women are talented quilt makers and seamstresses as well as devoted mothers. Some have their own businesses. Some are teachers within the Amish community.

I love the simplicity of their lives. I want to be Amish.

While at the ranch, I went with Luke to check on the cattle. They are such docile creatures. They stare at you with their full moon eyes while silently chewing grass. They stand near their little ones, protective and attentive.

I love their gentleness. Their hulking patience. I want to be a cow.

The dogs in Luke and Tawna and T’Lee’s lives are simply dazzling. Smart, wildly funny, affectionate and playful. Maggie is a quiet Blue-healer. She will amble up and look at you with soft eyes. She loves her head and ears rubbed. She is beautiful. But don’t test her. She can be fierce if needed. Trapper, a Black Lab, is a big three-legged teddy bear. He lost a leg in an accident. It never slowed him down in the least. He can outrun the rest of them. He will limp and squirm and eventually get in your lap and will not leave until you have petted him with love and hugs. Finder is a bloodhound with floppy ears and massive paws and gorgeous coloring. His energy is without limit. He nudges his way into your face hoping for some kisses and tenderness, which he always gets. How could anything that adorable not? Poncho is a mini, brown and white, Chihuahua. Cutest little thing you will ever see. Loves to climb into your lap, nestle in, and sleep. She also hops. She dances. She bounces. And she makes you fall completely in love with her.

I worship those dogs. I want to be one of them.

But mostly, I just want to be a kind and loving human. Someone who feels the hurts of others and wants to try and be a helper and a healer.

I am too often not that. But I aspire to be.

I listened to Johnny Mercer’s “Moon River” on Pandora on the drive home. It made me think of my week at the ranch. To paraphrase him,

“Just drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see,
We're after the same, rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend,
My huckleberry friends, dream makers, and me”

(c) 2020 Timothy Moody

If I had five minutes to evacuate--what would I take with me?

If I was told there was a bomb in my building and I had five minutes to evacuate my apartment I’d grab a grocery bag and quickly toss these items into it: 1. A photo of my grandparents, Mom and Pop and me, when I was 15 years old. I learned what love is made of from them. I learned what it is to be kissed on and hugged in arms so tender they felt like God’s arms. I discovered self worth from those two angels in human flesh. Of all the people in my life, they were the ones who made me feel I counted. Honestly, whatever capacity I have to love others came from them. 2. A sentimental, dog-eared, stars in the margin copy of Pat Conroy’s, “The Prince of Tides.” It is a book I have read three times and often return to for its wisdom. It is a harsh, profoundly tragic novel, the story of a family so broken and tortured by such flawed and wounded people that it is sometimes difficult to turn the next page. And yet it is the story of such Herculean courage and endurance that you want...

I Saw the Delicacy of Life

I was flying Across the deep And I saw the delicacy Of life Wrinkles on the faces Of the old So pure they glistened Like awards The joy of children Running with abandon Their laughter ringing Like chimes in the wind I saw the soft moving waves Across the sea And the trees releasing Their rainbow leaves Birds joined me on my flight And I saw the surface of their wings Adorned with patterns Glorious and unfurled I saw the tears of the sad And the smiles of the glad The suffering in mourning And the celebration of birth As I descended toward the ground Slowly, slowly, softly I saw the gentle grass of the field And smelled the fresh earth It was a perfect landing © 2018 Timothy Moody

Actions Make a Difference

“We make progress in society only if we stop cursing and complaining about its shortcomings and have the courage to do something about them.” ~ Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Physician/Author Pictured here is Kikuko Shinjo, 89 years old, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast. As a 17-year old nursing student she helped nurse victims of the carnage back to health. Many of them died in her care. She says she holds no grudge against America and encourages interaction between the Japanese and Americans. She has devoted her life to peace, saying, “I want all the people around the world to be friends, and I want to make my country peaceful without fighting.” Today she makes colorful paper cranes and donates them to the Children’s Peace Monument at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

The Unclad Soul

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