“We walked always in beauty, it seemed to me.
We walked and looked about, or stood and looked.
Sometimes, less often, we would sit down.
The place spoke for us and was a kind of speech.
We spoke to each other in the things we saw.”
wendell berry | jayber crow
He saw it, for the very first time, on its inaugural day. Last year we walked the local man-made "lake," passing the shops and restaurants of the outdoor mall. Our baby was due in days, we walked and walked. The year before we brought our spreadsheets and wedding folders to review over steak fajitas, and when we were done we walked and walked. And the year before? The night after our first kiss we had sandwiches at Corner Bakery, saw The Help at the theater, and walked and walked. Nearly sixty years ago, my grandparents walked and walked a new park in their area -- a park named Disneyland. "The story of my life..." Rowdy's face, not just jaw but his while face, dropped when he saw the carousel for the first time. He marched it's direction at a swarthy speed (only distracted by a balloon tower.) He's a focused fellow and doesn't give away smiles freely, but one of his surest signs of happiness is when he's still. He clasped the metal pole, sat upright, "oooooo"-ed. Cogsworth and Lumiere and Mrs. Potts welcomed him as their guest through the speakers. He waved good-bye when the ride was done. He danced to the violins, eagerly introduced himself to new friends, he scaled the play-park, but also sat still on the steps. If we could have one night to walk around heaven together, it must be something like last Saturday night.
Ps. If you're in the Montgomery County area, go ride the new Washingtonian Rio Carousel!