Coffee with Mom - Monday 8/16/10

This little dynamic duo showed up early Monday morning while camping up in the mountains near Shaver Lake.  Near our campsite were these huge slabs of granite.  I awoke just before sunrise and made me some "cowboy coffee"  Strong and a bit bitter in an old school percolator.  When I'm at home, I'm sort of a coffee diva.  I prefer the "gourmet" stuff.  My wife is Costa Rican.  Some might even go so far as to say I married her for the coffee...  But when you're camping, nothing is better then Chock Full of Nuts brewed in an old school percolator outside in the crisp morning mountain air.

So with cowboy coffee in hand, the sun peaking it's head through the trees and the morning chill, I make my way to the top of one of these big rocks to sit and just be.  Be in the morning.  Be on the rock.  Be with God and Spirit...  and myself.  I found a nice spot with a great view and squatted down to sit.  My knees up toward my chest, arms resting on my knees, coffee in hand, taking in the view. 

I must of sat there watching the sun creep up into the morning sky for about 15 minutes.  It was one of those rare moments when I stumbled upon an empty and quiet mind.  Usually my head swirls with thoughts o' plenty and ideas galore.  Quiet time for the old cabeza is a rare treat.  Perhaps I need more time in the cool mountain air.

My mind drifted to thoughts of mom after I looked down at some point to see two fair little feathers entwined and somehow attached to the big rock.  They were dancing in the gentle morning breeze.  Set perfectly between my legs as I sat.  Were they there when I sat down?  Did they float unnoticed while I sat there empty minded?  Who knows.  Who cares for that matter.  Either way another happy accident that says Mom is here.

So I continued to sit, mind in neutral, enjoying the morning and enjoying the feeling of my mother's presence.  In my late teens and early 20's while I lived at home, my morning consisted of coffee and cigarettes on the back porch.  I remember my mother going about her morning as well and how nice it was to just feel your mom close by.  Sometimes we'd chat, other times we'd hardly speak at all.  One time she comforted her heart broken son after he got dumped the night before.  Regardless of the situation, it was always nice to have mom around.

It is now a feeling that comes and goes.  On this Monday morning though, I had coffee with mom again.  It was very nice.