Peace In Unexpected Places

Having stressed over the Thanksgiving drive to my son's and all the myriad details involved in transporting Mother and I anywhere,the drive itself was uneventful . Therein lies its charm. Armed with the Mapquest directions in my lap and the proper meds (given earlier for my companion's comfort),I could just drive ! We'd left early enough to miss most traffic and the road was a grey ribbon unfurling before us.In between the miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles,were sturdy fieldstone farmhouses that had withstood the seasons of several centuries.The colors of the stones were so beautiful and the scene, so tranquil . Their fields were dotted with huge round bales of hay,curing in the sun.
Relieved of my vocal interaction with Mother for hours at a time ( trying to answer the repetitive questions of one with dementia can be exhausting and thankfully,she slept most of the way),a strange sensation settled over me...it was peace and quiet! I was free to enjoy the surroundings...the textures of the landscape and its subtle colors.Our path wound through hills and mountains...at one point we were in a tunnel literally through the mountain ! Those blasted roadway walls harbored cascading little rivulets of water that, in the chilly air ,formed into tiny icy waterfalls. It was all so achingly beautiful...as much for the sight of it, as for this rare opportunity to thoroughly savor it !
One of the countless self-help gurus once said that we may not be able to change what happens to us, but we can change the way we react to it . This soul-feeding drive went a long way toward refueling me,the better to cope with what's around the corner...always a surprise around here !