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Marge loved the Columbia river

June 3, 2019

Moms writing - Marges writing

Reading and nature were as important to Marge as breathing. She loved the desert and the Columbia River. A quote from one of her books about the river….

“ Swimming, a pallid word for such a total, all over experience – Surround Sound- just big booming speakers – Surround River, -- a big booming splash as you dive in, water enclosing you with bubbles all about. Welling up until your face breaks the surface and you smell the muddy banks. Stroking against the current, - strong and exhaultant, water flowing in a cool stream past your shoulders, arms, sides, back and legs.

Turning over and floating you see a distant airplane as insubstantial as the puffy white clouds beside it. The shore on the other side of the river, as far away as tomorrow, or yesterday. Its trees painted on and will never change.

Peace. At one with the earth and the sky. “Oh Shenandoah I long to see you, -- away, you rolling river.” The lyricist might have evoked a more profound memory if he had said, “I long to feel you”, even if people did look at him oddly.

As the summer goes by your stomach gets flatter, your shoulders go back, your gaze grows clearer and your head is held high. Your river has granted you health to last all winter. Swimming in the river, unchained, unanchored – is as close to walking in space, or glory, as you are likely to get.”

Marjorie S Fox

And finally, one more quote from Marge’s book. She was talking about the ending of all the dock/swimming/waterskiing years on the Columbia River – as the kids all grew up and went off to college. She wrote –“ I stood on the dike gazing down at the river. Gone were the gleeful cries of children, the smell of hamburgers cooking, the shouts of a skier coming in for a landing. The river rolled on, indifferent, unknowing, uncaring. And then I thought, of course, of course the river rolls on – that’s what rivers do. If we want immortality then we must supply the words and music ourselves.” Mom, you certainly did write your own words and music – and those exquisite words and resounding music shall live on in our souls forever.

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