Serenity
I’m blessed to be north of the Arctic Circle today, basking in the serenity of God’s beautiful creation. It’s almost 10:00 at night now, but night is a deceiving term when the sun is still fairly high up on the horizon! My body says I should be very tired right now, but my mind is saying, “It’s late afternoon and you should be alert and about!”
Tomorrow we’ll be fishing on the river, seeking our dinner and listening to the words of those who are kind enough to share their lives and their stories with us for a couple of days. With all the beauty up here, the costs are still very staggering to me. Our host and guide filled up two 50 gallon drums today, much needed fuel to get us up and down the river. The bill was $860 for the fuel, more than 3 times what we would pay in the “lower 48”. A gallon of milk here costs more than $9 per gallon. Other readily available food items that we take for granted elsewhere in this country are 2 or 3 times the cost I would pay at my home as well. And yet, what is staggering to those of us unaccustomed to paying such incredible prices is frustrating but accepted by those who live with this incredible cost of living as an unfortunately normal part of their lives.
The folks here are completely giving, offering their time and their things to anyone else in need. I can only imagine how important that is to sustain and even survive in the harsh environment in the winter that is somewhat unbelievable when we see and feel the beauty and warmth of this summer evening. But this Arctic village defines community and the love for each other that is always on display defines family.
And maybe that’s why complete serenity is the only way I know to adequately describe this environment.
So for now, I’m going to get back to staring into this magnificent and majestic wilderness, desperately looking for that change on the horizon that might indicate a not so normal animal for us from down there that are all to normal to those up here!
Good night everyone!