Lake Ewauna Morning Walk

Healing is a Sacred Journey

Lake Ewauna Morning Walk, Klamath Falls, Oregon

by Virginia Pickles Jones

Start out at Veterans Memorial Park just before dawn on a summer morning.  Pause by the shaded woods along Lake Ewauna.  Watch the rising sun paint the sky watercolor shades of pink and blue through the branches of the trees.

Turn around and walk across the road to the Veterans Memorial.  All veterans of any war are welcome.   

The wounded and the well alike are honored by having a brick inscribed with their name.

Come sit in the middle of the memorial on a bench and meditate on the sacrifices veterans made:  Suffering the wounds of war or the selfless giving of time more comfortably spent with family and friends or working for better pay.  

Think of other veterans -- women, children and men -- who endured violence and sexual assault on the home front.

There are no memorials to the veterans of these wars.

When you are ready, head back to the water.

This August morning the clouds reflect on the still waters of the lake, instilling us with awe.

Awe helps us connect with the divine -- the belief in something bigger and better than ourselves, the knowledge that we are not alone.

Walk over to the dock and sit with the ducks and gulls.  Animals do not judge.  They do not judge us when we are angry.  They do not judge our tears.  They sit with us and share our silences.  

They don’t offend easily when we laugh because they make us laugh.

With animals we can just be.

Then the sun sends a shining shaft across the water; illuminating a new day. 

Pause for a moment and take in the colors:  Azure, emerald, and taupe.  Reflect on the beauty of the moment.

Even when our lives are ruled by pain from war at home or war years behind us and 6000 miles away, we can take this moment, this hour, this day to enjoy the beauty of this lake, this park, this memorial, this gull, this cloud, this sunrise………

And find the path to life....

Copyright 2014 Virginia Pickles Jones

Klamath Falls Third Thursday Evening Walk or Fun is Healing

Klamath Falls Third Thursday Evening Walk or Fun is Healing

by Virginia Pickles Jones

June, who walked across Oregon in September 2008, to raise awareness about child abuse says, “Fun is healing because when the hard times come, they are easier to take if you have been having fun.”

Sitting at home all alone may be safe, but it is NOT fun.  When the feet get moving, the mind follows.  So get up and get walking and have fun!

One place to walk around having fun is in Old Town Klamath Falls every Third Thursday evening from May until 
September.

Start at the West end of Main Street at Third and walk east.

You may pass by a lovely young lady who has spent her spare time this last year domesticating a wild horse.  Meet her and her horse and her dog.

Read the literature at the young lady's booth and learn about this program for teens and wild horses. The Wild Mustang Foundation sponsors this program for teens to raise and train young wild horses who were born on the range so they can be adopted.

Further down the block watch dancers on the steps of city hall….

…and then talk to the Audubon volunteers, who follow the birding call.

Klamath Falls is surrounded by lakes and rivers with White Pelicans, cormorants, ducks and geese…

Attracting tourists and photographers, bird lovers all…….

(You can tell that I really like birds and nature.)

Walk along the street and visit the kiosks of vendors and radio stations and political parties such as these very friendly and very lonely Klamath County Democrats.

Next to the Democrats you may find veterans selling bricks for their memorial by Lake Ewauna.  Listen with compassion and they may share stories about surviving the trauma of combat.  

One vet said about the wounds of war, “They’re always with you every day for the rest of your life.  You can only take life one day at a time.”

Survivors of combat like survivors of abuse suffer from anxiety, depression, low self esteem, outbursts of anger and other symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as from a lack of compassion from others.

Buy a brick to honor a veteran and the brick will be laid down here at the Veterans Memorial Park by the shores of Lake Ewauna along with those of many other veterans of many wars.  Klamath County honors all.

Stroll down a bit further and you may find high school cheerleaders practicing their routines......

Finally, at the East end of Main Street you will find a sweet spot -- Crave Cupcakes .

Choose a cupcake and savor bite by bite the flavor…after all chocolate is healing and so are coconut and lime and German Chocolate and Vanilla and mocha and Carrot Cake and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

There is so much to see in Klamath Falls including the people who enjoy themselves way too much to wait for the nearest and soonest Society of Creative Anachronisms event.

Takes in the sights and sounds and colors and smells and tastes.  Enjoy the moment.  Enjoy the evening.

Then, as the summer evening turn to twilight, the street lights begin to glow…..

And the summer moon rises, and the event ends until it comes again the next third Thursday.

And you will come again to enjoy the sights and sounds and fellowship of this community.

Copyright 2014 Virginia Pickles Jones

Christina Chipman makes costumes such as the one she is pictured in above.  She is the young woman in the green Medieval style dress.  She makes and sells costumes such as the one she is pictured in.  You can contact her at Christina.Chipman@OIT.edu.

Crave Cupcakes can be found at 835 Main St, Klamath Falls, OR 9760.  You can contact them at (541) 331-1828