Elan Mudrow
Smidgens
Living With The Volcano
A wide emptiness sits over Spirt Lake from Harry’s Ridge to Harmony Lake Viewpoint. An emptiness of vast distance with stars or sun, clouds and wind…a series of personalities, always in the process of change, threatens to knock all thought out of you.
You search for the mountain. Some days it’s larger than any life you’ve ever known, yet appears accessible, as if you could simply stroll up its skin to the summit, say hello to the sublime. Other times it hides behind mist, playing hide and seek through clouds rolling over that same emptiness.
As you watch the emptiness, you notice a small herd of mule deer. They feed between the mountain’s ponds, little scoops in the earth, formed by the eruption, filled by endless springs, alive. The deer watch you with slow caution until you break into all thought and speak to them. With that sound, they move away from you, bringing that sky, the emptiness, back down to the ground. All thoughts are returned to you and the sky resumes its simple task of appearing, with regularity, over your head.
And it’s only when you get back home when you realize the reason you search for the emptiness. For you never knew you’d see the deer and you were aware that the mountain may be hard to see on some days. That same sky is inside you, full of stars or sun, clouds and wind…a series of personalities, always in the process of change. And it takes your own voice, one that you can clearly hear, to break into all thought, making that sky settle back down to earth.
21 Comments on “Living With The Volcano”
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Elan Mudrow 
This is a powerful éloge to nature and long walks. Thanks Elan !
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Elan, This is beautiful, with a wonderful narrative closure, tying the end to the beginning. It’s evocative and I get what you’re saying.
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Reading this was peaceful
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This. Is perfect.
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I love this. Your walk lifts me out of my mundane projects at home and refreshes me. Thank you.
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You have stated a wonderful thought with fine words. Appreciable. I endorse your views.
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Thanks Betty. I’m honored. I was up there on the 7th. Took the road to the gate and got on the Hummocks Trail and Boundary Trail.
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My friend who died on Mt St Helens on May 18, 1980 – I think she would love this. 💞 Thank you, Elan.
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Simply beautiful!
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Beautiful image and words.
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Thanks so much!
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I found that story very moving, & inspirational!
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You found the voice you needed to utter this scene. It’s just right, evocative, interesting.
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That was calming!
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Thanks so much Kelley.
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“… it takes your own voice, one that you can clearly hear, to break into all thought…” I love this thought and the image associated with it. Lovely writing. 😊
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Thanks Art.
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Beautiful, Elan.
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Beautiful, Elan. Droplets of moisture on bare limbs. That, and your narrative, create a lustrous image.
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A moment beautifully crystallized in image and words.
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Wonderfully crafted! I could feel the peace of communing with God’s creation. Thanks for sharing.
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