Journey Proud

When I was a little girl and didn't really know

not really

that it would ever be anyone but

Mother, Daddy, Mary Ann and I in the main scheme of things

with grandparents in the circle - Ella and Elbert -

Aunts, Uncles, Cousins - all of us arm in arm even when we went to our homes at night -

to each of our safe corners of that small south alabama town -

When it was that time and when there were no interstates - no I-65 from Evergreen to who knows where,

We'd travel to Montgomery, AL, at least twice a year, getting there on Highway 31.

It went through this small town and that small town, this little area and that little area - two lanes all the way - endless it seemed -

Very often Ella would go with us.  She'd sit in the back with Mary Ann and me.  No seatbelts, ever.

I only had heard of those on airplanes.

I would be so excited about the trip and Ella quite often would say to me,  "I think you're journey proud".   She'd say it in her familiar voice which I can barely hear anymore in my memory.  I don't think I can hear daddy's either - unless I just think of phrases he would say - I think I can hear Mothers because sometimes I think I sound like her.

Journey Proud.

I am that today.

I am traveling to Birmingham to visit Martha and Val and Mary Claire.

Tomorrow from Birmingham I am traveling to Tallassee to Beth and Jamie Baldwin.

and on Saturday Charlie and I are going to meet Laura Beth, Scott, Ada and John in Adairsville,

to bring LB, Ada, and John back to Scottsboro for a week with us.

I am very Journey Proud.