three canoes ...

In gazing out over the river the other day, looking at the mist rising as the night was coming on and the air was cooling, I heard voices from beyond the wall behind me. I thought that in a moment a group of people would turn the corner and present themselves. But noone did. 

Instead, around the corner of the deck I was standing on, there appeared a canoe, then two more, each with two occupants. There were 2 green ones and one red one, meandering and seemingly heading out toward Esopus Island.

 I felt a peaceful joy of watching these canoes skimming the water and enjoying the freedom and comfortable temperature after such a hot day... 3 of them and 2 by 2... Their laughter was followed by silence for a time, and then I saw only two of the canoes. 

As they had rounded the corner of the dock, from the cove, and headed for the open river, in a sudden, somewhat anxious tone of voice, I head a voice say " Did anyone move the car?! " and someone responded, " yes. I did." I supposed two might have gone to set up camp while the others went exploring a bit longer. 

They were heading back in my direction, but not toward the cove where I was. I noticed one of them had a bright white light, as the night was fast approaching. 

It was time for me to leave the park, but as I was wending my way back up the ramp to the parking area, I heard the roar of a speeding cruiser. I looked back and saw it heading north with a great wake behind it. I was concerned for the two canoes out there, in the same area, on the same side of the river... I hoped they were skilled at manuvering them.

 I walked to my car and noticed theirs parked beside me. It was the only one there, so I knew it was theirs. A silver-grey SUV.  I felt the peacefulness of the night and didn't want to leave. I thought of the little group and wished I was with them... canoing... camping under the moon... on the island... But I was a bit concerned as well... praying that the two still out there on the river were safe.

 I said a little prayer for them as I got into my car, looked back at theirs one more time, and drove up the winding little road, in the darkness... to Rt 9...

The next day, when I was at work, in a place along Rt 9, I stepped outside just for a moment, in the middle of the afternoon, to remove a smudge from a window. I stepped back inside and looked back to be sure I had removed it, and suddenly saw this silvery-grey SUV with 3 canoes on top, one red and two green, pass by. The timing could not have been more perfect, and I might well never have seen this at all, so I knew that someone was wanting me to know that they were all safe. 


It is times like that that you know there is more to life then mere coincidence... My heart had been with them... and it was like it continued to be, until they were headed home, and dropped me off along the way...