Monday, February 3, 2014

Train Trip

Last Wednesday I took the train from Holland To Chicago.  I was plannning to go to German Valley,IL the weekend before, but the snow and wind would not let up.  I was leading a retreat this past weekend, so decided to be sure and get there by taking the train around the southern tip of Lake Michigan.  What a great idea!!

Plan on a little extra time.  I got in late both going and coming back, but hey, I was warm, comfortable, reading my book, enjoying the scenery.  So I decided to journal a few comments and share my trip with you.

The trip:
There is morning sun on a snow-draped world.  On the east side of the train it looks like we are in a sunbathed white-out.  The train is kicking up the snow as we blow through, but the snow is a golden glow as it whips past the windows.  On the west side of the train the world is calm and beautiful, surreal aand glistening as we pass through woods and fields and towns.

I feel overcome with emotions and am not sure why...but God is here; all around in the beauty, the peace, in the tatooed man sitting in the seat next to mine.  (later I found out the paint gun tatooed up and down his arm symbolized his business of building and painting cars.)

Paths, so many different kinds of paths through the woods and the fields...leading where? Made by whom, or what?

I see an eagle soaring over a field.  I have a book to read, but now I don't want to stop scanning the terrain for wildlife.

We are passing very close to Lake Michigan, which one would hardly know except there are no other landscapes in this part of the world so flat and open...hill-less. tree-less, just a white frozen snowy expanse.  It looks a bit like the Dakotas, but below the snow and ice lies water.

The gentle rocking and warm temps put me to sleep for a while.  Where are we?

Now I see a snowy owl perched high in a tree.  Fortunately the guy in the next seat is asleep or he would probably wonder what in the world I was doing leaning across him to get the best and longest view.

The skyline of Chicago is ahead.  I'm arriving rested and relaxed, feeling full of praise to God...all this is so much better than arriving white-knuckled, stressed and weary.

This will be my mode of transportation this winter on those weekends I make the commute to IL to be with Al.  Train to Chicago and then bus to Rockford.  It's my train from my Holland "room" to my German Valley "room" and back again.  What a good transition!

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