Below are the first few paragraphs from Chapter One, where I share a view of Portland and Marc’s life.
Chapter One
Little Bit Of Heaven
“Sawbonna” Zulu word for ‘I see you’
The Pacific Northwest had always seemed so dreary a place to live most of the year, but when I looked out over the city of Portland, I was surprised at how it’s natural beauty dazzled my eyes. The tall buildings downtown made a stunning statement against the October sunset. The evening lights signaled the city was winding down, its daylight bath of sun fading. Twinkling lights lit up the tree lined avenues and Portland’s many park areas. From my vantage point I could see the bridges on the wide Willamette River joining the people of SW PDX with those in the South East. Life below seemed to flow perfectly.
How many people have walked Portland city floors in the last 200 years since the West Coast was brought into mainland America by the Louisiana Purchase? How many were born since that time with sky high hopes and dreams? People in every age had lived life just as my son Marc and I were, working on our destiny …. meeting up to share a celebration.
I’d visited Portland before, but never viewed it from this angle. There’s something breathtaking about seeing a special town or landscape from so high up, like when you’re flying to a vacation spot and look down at the human specks below, the mountains or beaches gleaming beyond. It makes you feel small, but then it can make you feel powerful.
As I watched the mass of people below driving home for the day or meeting friends for dinner, I felt a connection to them …. like life can seem grand when you’re with someone you love or care about. It’s like love can make your everyday problems seem so small. Then I caught myself and remembered, ‘there’s people down on that city floor who’re suffering in some way’, life isn’t always as rosy as we think on the other side …. and I felt for them.
I was in this city again as Marc had just completed a nine month course at Oregon Culinary Institute and was graduating the next day. There was a lot of relief on his side as the course had been as intense as any professional institute with a high standing could be. He was double excited as he landed a modest starting position working only four blocks from home. The peace in his life was palpable, I was so grateful for how things were coming together like he dreamed they would.
* * * * * * *
Hope you got a glimpse of the city of Portland, little of Marc and the books scope.
- (WordPress is not aligning headings right this morning)