Memorial

This evening we joined 3 or 4 hundred other islanders and guests for a beautiful and very emotional memorial for Orlando.

As people arrived we gathered, linked by hands in a huge circle that pushed up against the edges of the big field at the head of the beach. After a few words, everyone walked in silence down the beach a ways. 

Many people brought rose petals or had made little boats for committing to the ocean. I carved this kayaker out of a hunk of cedar that was begging to give itself for something significant.

Rachelle and I waded out in the waves to our knees and launched the paddler. He cut a fine path through the surf, making a gentle turn and slowly coming back to shore with the onshore wind and waves at his back. He eventually came to rest upright in a wash of rose petals and sea foam. 

I sent the little kayaker out one last time just before we left. About half way in to the beach he was capsized by a breaking wave and I thought to myself that I should have left him sitting upright on the beach where he came to rest on his last surf landing. When I looked back over my shoulder as we were walking down the beach I saw that he had rolled back upright again and his smiling face was beaming as he was surfing his way to a safe landing. 

Safe landing to you, Orlando.