Reseña del libro "Wandering and Thinking and Hiking (en Inglés)"
The summer of 2019 began a journey of curiosity, grief, persistence and in all honesty, fear. On February 26, 2015, two loving and distinguished gentlemen left thisearth; my father, Rev. Joseph Nickell and my formerfather-in-law, Dr. Gibbs Prevost. The loss of these two, and on the same day, began my travels of selfdiscovery, intrigue, and a deeper sense of loss and hope.Not only did my father die, but my mother suffered astroke which resulted in greater memory loss and areliance on caretakers. At my father's funeral, delayeda month due to my mother's requirement to completephysical rehabilitation services, Carolyn Blevinsresponded with these words, "You've had a hell of a ride."She was not wrong. My mother continued to decline andon July 25, 2019, she died after residing in a memorycare unit for only two months.Watching Mary Nickell, a determined, hospitable andstubborn woman, decline for four years could bedescribed as a revelatory moment. I inherited mymother's determination and independent spirit, andthat spirit was telling me to move onward. I sold myhouse, put everything in storage, quit my job, but NOTmy profession, and decided to work in national parks;Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons so far.10As the events of 2020's covid pandemic loomed large thelevel of suffering was not lost on me. My isolation tookplace in the frozen tundra of the Grand Tetons, andworried for my family, as we were 2000 miles apart.Winter thawed the earth but covid was alive and well, and unfortunately thriving and spreading. Isolationcontinued, resulting in loss of lives, confusion, inability to have personal interactions, cancellation ofsentinel events, mental and physical fatigue.Being a part of nature was my way to cope with theisolation and sadness surrounding my spirit. Thepictures I had taken were ways to save those upliftingmoments and thought the beauty might be helpful forothers. Facebook and Instagram were my medium forsharing and the responses were overwhelming. Socialmedia influence was not my goal. Sending picturesthat might elicit peace, comfort and solace was mypurpose.Two people dear to my heart and soul, Rev. Mary BethDuke and Rev. Sharon Youngs, asked when mypictures would be published in a meditation book. Theirurgings, David Tullock and Parson's Porch are thecatalyst for these meditations.My travels have been varied; alone, accompanied byfamily and friends or with travelers along the way. I amgrateful for good health, and for now good knees. Theopportunity in front of me is not taken for granted.
