Tuesday, January 2, 2024
This morning Betty and I skipped our morning walk, and we just drove to a lookout point to take some pictures of the sunrise. The sunrise was beautiful, but a bit of a bust for photography, but I did manage to grab this photo of an osprey (which is Spanish is called águila pescadora -- the fishing eagle). It’s one of my favorite birds. It’s highly adaptable and what scientists call cosmopolitan, which means it can (and does) live basically anywhere on earth. The osprey makes me think of one of my favorite quotes from the Roman stoic Séneca (born in Spain).
So eager and upright, let us hasten with bold steps wherever circumstances take us, and let us journey through any countries whatever: there can be no place of exile within the world since nothing within the world is alien to men. From whatever point on the earth's surface you look up to heaven the same distance lies between the realms of gods and men. Accordingly, provided my eyes are not withdrawn from that spectacle, of which they never tire; provided I may look upon the sun and the moon and gaze at the other planets [...] provided I can keep my mind always directed upwards, striving for a vision of kindred things -- what does it matter what ground I stand on?.
This has resonated with me since the first time I read it. It speaks to my wandering spirit.
After watching the sunrise, Betty and I went to Sergio’s bird lookout from last night to see how it looked in the morning light, and then into downtown Guaymas to see the port and the Parroquia de San Fernando.
In the port, there is a beautiful Monumento al Pescador (monument to the fisherman), with a plaque entitled “La Barca de Guaymas,” with a poem by Carlos Wenceslao López Portillo. The words of the poem really struck me. Maybe I’m still sensitive after Sunday Night’s poetry.
Al golpe del remo se agita en las olas ligera la barca. Y al ruido del agua se ahonda mi pena, solloza mi alma. Por tantos pesares, mi amor angustiado llorando te llama si te hallas muy lejos y sola, muy sola se encuentra mi alma. Cansado viajero que tornas al puerto de tierras lejanas, ¿Qué extraño piloto condujo tu barca sin vela y sin ancla? ¿De qué región vienes que has hecho pedazos tus velas tan blancas?
Te fuiste cantando y hoy vuelves trayendo la muerte en el alma. Yo soy el marino que alegre de Guaymas salió una mañana, llevando en mi barca como hábil piloto mi dulce esperanza. Por mares ignotos mis dulces anhelos hundió la borrasca. ¡Por eso están rotas las velas y traigo la muerte en el alma.
“The Rowboat of Guaymas”
To the rhythm of oars, the rowboat lightly beats on the waves. And to the sound of the water my sadness sinks ever deeper. For so many sorrows, my distressed love calls to you weeping if you are far away, and alone, so alone is my soul. Weary traveler who returns to port from far-off lands, what strange pilot directed your sail-less and anchor-less boat? From which region do you come, you who have torn to pieces your bright white sails?
You left singing and today you return bringing death in your soul. I am the sailor who happily left Guaymas one morning, carrying in my rowboat like a capable pilot my sweet hope. Through unknown seas the squall sank my sweet yearnings. That is why my sails are tattered, and I carry death in my soul.
On our way back to David and Irene’s house, Betty and I swung by and picked up Dayan -- Raymundo’s daughter and our kids’ first cousin. She’s really great, and she, Alicia, and Anahi had a good time hanging out.
Later, I took Ian and Kimball and River to the beach. The older girls have been fighting a cough for a few days, and the water is a bit chilly. Kimball isn’t really big on the water, but we had a good time just sitting on the beach and talking and watching Ian and River play. There were so many seagulls and pelicans. It was really fun just to watch the people and the wildlife.
In the afternoon, I went with David and the kids out on the highway between Guaymas and San Carlos to watch the sunset. At first we went to an overlook where there were a bunch of people. The panorama was good, but there wasn’t much else that was interesting going on, so we moved to a different place closer to the water.
Here it was rocky, and we had to hike a bit to get down close to the water, but the view there was spectacular. It takes quite a while to watch a full sunset. The colors brighten and intensify in unpredictable ways, so we stuck it all the way out. I put the camera on a tripod in the water and played around with the exposure to get these shots. I think it’s some of my best work.
When we got home it was night, and we still had to run over to Empalme to say goodbye to Betty’s mom and brother. So we loaded everyone (including Dayan) into the car and headed over to Empalme. It was hard for Betty to say goodbye to her mother, but we hope to see her again in the near-ish future. We also stopped by and saw a woman named doña Lupita. She is the mother of one of Betty’s best friends from high school. She’s 80 years old, and still spry and cheery. Her home is an oasis of order and beauty in Empalme. I was so impressed with the spirit in her home.
When we returned back to David and Irene’s, Betty’s friend Karla and her husband Arturo were there to visit. Karla and Betty have known each other since they were teenagers in church together. Like so many of Betty’s friends -- and friends of friends -- Karla is fun and energetic and has a zest for life that is contagious.
The visit with Karla and Arturo was great, but I’m feeling pretty exhausted now. Every day we wake up early and we go to bed late -- and we run from one thing to the next. This is definitely not a pilgrim’s pace.