Steve and Kathy

When I was a young woman I found a place on the planet Earth where I felt grounded and at peace. That place was a park called Yosemite. I lived there. I worked there. I fell in love there. I made soul friends there. We had fun together we grew together, and then we had to move on to other things...

Fortunately for me I still get to talk to my soul friends. Even better, they come to visit me.

As the years have progressed onward, my memories are no longer acute with exact conversations and events. Instead, when we are together, I feel the same energetic presence that I felt in my youth.

I took them fishing with my family and Maygen and Iris. I had another pure Alana moment where I neglected to tie off the boat and as Kathy so hilariously recalled, "Alana calmly said, 'I..don't think..the anchor is tied off...' and Maygen said, 'are you kidding?' and then Maygen unfurled her super hero cape and plunged into the sea after it." Steve and Kathy laughed heartily at this event. I was amused because it encapsulated the kind of life I've been living up to this moment. With the exception of my hair being noticeably lighter, I am the same easy going klutzy girl that I have always been. It has been great to be reminded of that.

The fish in Little Tutka Bay were jumping everywhere. The sun was shining brightly. It was a great day to be out on the beach for a picnick and a chat with family and friends.

Kathy and I remembered how we took a rock climbing class together in Yosemite. She was doing great, took right to it. Then the instructor informed her that she was too high and she fell, scraping up her knee and her leg. When I got my turn at the rock I got about half way up and slipped. I was held firmly by the rope. I laid against the rock and thought, "Why am I doing this? I don't think I am enjoying this at all. I just broke a nail!" Kathy ran to Steve that night to show him her massive injury. I decided to continue watching the boys climb from the valley floor and she decided to continue climbing.
Alana and Steve circa 1988

I told Kathy about how I hiked Half Dome with my then boyfriend Todd. I was complaining about the 8 arduous miles of stair climbing that we were doing. We had just past Nevada Falls, maybe done with three of the eight miles, when Steve came down the mountain towards us. He had been on an early morning jog-up half dome. He so casually said something like, "Hey guys! Yea, great day to be out..." not even winded! Yes, he is still in that good of shape.

We laughed for two days and then they had to leave and return to their home.

The waking dream in this visit came to me when Steve said, "Alana, when we pulled into Homer and I looked out over the sea and the mountains, I had the same feeling I had when I came into Yosemite Valley."

I remembered that I felt that same way when I first arrived in Homer. The sun glistening on the ocean and the glaciers slow progression to the sea brought my soul into alignment with my physical reality in the same way that being held in the womb of that Valley in Yosemite did. I realized that Yosemite and Homer are my spiritual homes and that if I were to ever get my way and be able to leave here I would want to turn around and come right back. Fortunately, nothing changes here, just as nothing really changes between those walls of stone and where ever my path takes me I'll be able to come home... or go home...

Thank you for visiting me Steve and Kathy. Love you guys...