Going Home

Shusli has told me many times about her Love for the land. About how it draws her and calls to her and wants her back. I have greatly admired this in her. I believed I didn't feel such a powerful draw, until yesterday.

As I was leaving Reedsport and heading up the Umpqua River, I almost turned back. Number One, I didn't want to leave my honey, even if I did make a commitment to say good bye up here and clean up the house we are leaving. I Love Shusli so much that if any of you have never felt this kind of Love and always have wanted to, you are missing out, friends. And then I could feel the land calling me. It was like a giant hand had a grip on my soul and was begging me not to leave. I have been gone so long and now I am back home and I don't want to go.

Shusli asked me one time if my father wanted to go back. I believe he did. When my grandfather died, it was as if all family and indigenous connections had been severed and the Indians moved out of the area and to the Siletz Rez. There may still be Indians in Reedsport, I just haven't had the time to look into these things. Definitely the familial connections to the town had been severed with the death of my grandfather.

With the death of my father, most of my familial connections had been severed. My dad, I believe, wanted to go home, but his family was no longer there, so what was the point. And here I am, 43 years of living away from there, some 34 years of having no family there, am returning to just South of Reedsport to Coos Bay.

Saturday while unpacking, we heard a constant sound. Was it the freeway? PIR? The Airport? Excessive amounts of traffic? I-5? What was that sound? It was the ocean.

Folks, Shusli and I are going home. Although it is sad to be apart from her at the moment, I told her that after this month, we will be living a long life of Love and Adventure for the rest of our lives...together.

Thanks Portland, for hosting me all these years, but really, it is time I go home. What exactly will happen there remains to be seen. I have plans.

I also believe my good-bye here to P-town will be rather uneventful. That, however, is not a big deal. What is important is that the space I create in my leaving will have room to be filled and then some for any who want to do so...and many blessings to them all.