From High To Low A Year Ago

Mai G. Parsons January 30, 1924 - December 15, 2011

As we all know, Life ebbs and flows and moves from highs to lows.  So it was a year ago today, December 15th, the day we learned my Mother was dead.

Most all DF & LBRs know the saga of our Indiana Journey.  Today we will tell the story once again of going from one of our highest highs to our lowest low.  Ace Reporter Steve Ayers interviewed us about our multi-year battle to get the sand and gravel operators out of The Verde River.  Steve did a great article and it appeared in the Camp Verde Bugle and Verde Independent newspapers on December 14th.  Oh, my, how the allocades rolled in via email, telephone and in person.  We were so high on the buzz from that article, we felt like we were walking on air that day.  In a nutshell, it was awesome and easily one of our highest highs in our life.  After more than 20 years we were finally getting some recognition for that pivotal phase of our life and, of course, a turning point in Verde River history.  Most of you have read the article but here it is again:

http://campverdebugleonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubsectionID=114&ArticleID=32937

Not long before the article was published, Steve Ayers wanted to take our photo to include in the article.  It was a cold, rainy day and we went down beside the Verde River at Rezzonnico Park.  I took off my rain jacket and acted as if there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  Steve took a really nice photo and I told him I wanted to send the picture to my Mom because she would love it.  Steve dutifully emailed the photo.

The morning following the publication of the article, I was preparing to go to the Rimrock Post Office to mail out a copy of the article to my Mom.  The article was already in its addressed envelope when the call from the Lafayette Police Officer came.

There's something about receiving news of the death of a Beloved Parent that makes time seem to stop and stand still.  All those of us who have experienced that moment in our Lives know well of the impact of such news.  It's hard for me to imagine being as high one one day and then as low the next day, barely 24 hours later.  The back-to-back juxtaposition of those two events will forever redefine my concept and idea of "going from high to low."  Naturally, Mom never got to see the article or Steve's photograph.  She would have been so happy and proud.  Knowing Mom, she would have framed them both and put them near her roost in front of the TV.

As you know, we arrived back on the banks of the Wabash River December 17th and buried Mom just before Christmas on the Winter Solstice.  We went on to spend six strenuous weeks there before returning to Sweetie Susun and our Dear Friends. Even though there's a sea of memories from that trying time, it's the ballistic shift from high to low in a single day that will forever stand foremost in our memory.

I Love You, Mom.  Rest In Peace in God's Glory Forever.