September 17, 2010
I woke up around 6:30. This was the third morning in a row that I had gotten up before the sun appeared in the morning sky.
I performed my daily meditation on the left and proceeded with my day. After a quick breakfast, I set out on Interstate 5 going south.
This was the route that I took.
Directions for Driving from Ashland, OR, to Grass Valley, CA. Google Maps, 2010
I crossed into California approximately 30 minutes after departing Ashland and soon passed Mt. Shasta. It was a beautiful California morning.
Once I arrived in Redding, California, I headed east to Lassen Volcanic National Park. As soon as I pulled into the park, I noticed a chipmunk standing on a very large rock by the entrance.
Chipmunk offers the following message:
• Gathering
• Ability to regulate usage
• Saving for future use
• Ability to carry ones nourishment (both spiritual and physical) with them
• Ability to see both light and shadow
• Mobility
• Cuteness – Copyright www.animalspirits.com
I spent a couple of hours exploring the park and taking various photographs. This field in the park was covered with pink grass, which swayed back and forth in the wind. Standing on the edge of the field and taking in this sight was like having an out-of-body experience or standing in the middle of a dream. It was so quiet and peaceful.
I reached the top of the volcano about an hour later.
I spent the rest of my day driving through the Plumas and Tahoe National Forests. At one point, I stopped in Quincy, California, to check my email and discovered the following message from my friend, Barb. (See Day 66 of the 72 Days of God chapter.)
Dear Friends & Family:
My father, Doug, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last spring at the age of 67. It’s been both a joyous and challenging year: the ups don’t cancel the downs, and the downs certainly don’t cancel the ups. You lean harder on your circle of family & friends some years than others, and this year, I am more grateful than ever for the community that supports me.
I’d like to ask all of you who have already done so much for me to do one more thing—support me as a team member of the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk. The Alzheimer’s Association has been a great source of support for my family. We’d like to give something back to this amazing, dedicated group of people, raise awareness of the disease, and, most importantly, show support for my dad.
Family members are walking on Saturday, September 25, to raise awareness and support for the Northeastern chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. We want to ask you to help us show our appreciation for their great work and to make a small donation so the Association can continue this important work and help even more families.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research, and the funds we raise will go directly toward supporting their efforts.
Will you consider making a donation? It’s easy to give online by following the link below.
Thank you in advance for your time and generosity—together, we can help end Alzheimer’s! (The link has since been removed.)
With love and thanks,
Barb & Dave
Side Note: Mr. McCuen died in 2014. When I received the news, I purchased a Single Memorial Tree in his honor, and a few moments later, the following image appeared in the sky above.
To help Barb and Dave, I decided to post her message in my journal. I hope that people visiting my site will help Barb meet her goal.
I then spent the next few hours driving across the California mountains and making my long and winding descent down Highway 94 into Nevada City and Grass Valley, California.
Day three of my journey was complete.