Thursday, October 12, 2006

the fall, the soul cages and the water

This time of year makes me think of Mark.

One fall weekend in college, we went to his parents' house in Ashtabula for a visit. We spent some time watching the waters of Lake Erie crash and spill over the breakwall at some spot he used to visit when he lived there, listening to Sting's "The Soul Cages" cd. We joked around plenty that weekend, but talked about some deep stuff, too. It was a very memorable trip for me, for some reason. I suppose it was talking with Mark about big stuff that affected me, and still does today. I never made it to his parents' cabin on the Goulais - always something that seemed to get in the way of making the trip. But that time with him in Ashtabula made me see how connected he was to the water and to the outdoors.

Sounds kind of silly to read that - "connected to the water." But it doesn't seem silly in my memory. Mark always seemed to be hiding and guarding a lot more in his soul than he communicated. Just like the water hides more than is visible from the surface. And every now & then, you get a glimpse of the complexities that lie beneath the icy grey waves.

I miss Mark. But the crisp, cold air in October helps me remember what lay beneath the surface near that breakwall along Lake Erie. If you think of it this fall, listen to that cd of Sting's. Maybe it will make you think of Mark, too.