So the California Zepher sits about 500 yards East of the Big Muddy on the Illinois side (of course it’s the Illinois side because it’s East of the rive). we are about three minutes from the next depot. However, that few minutes turned into a couple hours as the completely unpredictable and yet fairly probable happens. The river train bridge. Is in the “open” position to let a massive barge meanderSouth. As the passenger train waits it’s turn the crew hears of an eastbound coal train approaching from the Iowa side. so the Zephyr’s engineer idles dow2n th3 train to give the freighter first shot at the railroad bridge. Then for some reason the train grows stunningly silent. Both engines are failing to crank up after the stop. And so a train load of passengers sits suspended between the places they left and the places they were headed. We weren’t exactly stranded and yet we didn’t know exactly what would happen next. The passengers were all on this train together and yet we knew frighteningly little about where each of us was coming from and where each of us was headed and. Why. Some of us knew our destination was only moments away once we could move forward and some of us started to figure out creative solutions such as leaving the train and walking to the local blacktop and getting someone to pick USA up just on eat other side of the river. Others knew we could walk along the river now that the flood waters were mostly gone. For on that side of the river along that particular stretch there are ancient trails carved by underaged drinking teen-aged rebels and dreamers.
so everyone has a train song in them....Don’t we all have places in our lives where we were so close to the place we thought we needed to be? Haven’t we all found ourselves in a place where many seem to be headed our way and yet we know them only at the very surface level? How often do we get the vague. Feeling that there is some certainty. About our position in life and that we will reach our goal, however all the sudden the universal unthinkable comes calling? It seems like. The world is sort of in that place right now.
The Train Ride Experience
Now being so close yet not knowing for sure when and where the trip was gong to end might paralyze most folks, I was comfortable on the train, the trip so far had been good. were there places where the track was under repair—-yes. We’re there some strangers and some bumps—yes. Did the restrooms smell a little funny? That’s a trick question—public restrooms always smell funky and not in a good way. The. Point is...if you enjoy the trip the delay seems to be sort of nothing more than part of what was meant to be. It’s a chance to think and breathe. It’s a chance to “look around and gather your belongings.” I suspect we could all benefit from looking around us, getting are values and experiences gathered together and prepare for departure into the days that follow? Just for these reasons, maybe we should all take the train?
Writing your own train song...
Because life seems like a train. Journey I feel like everyone has a train song in them. Luckily many people are musicians and they write good songs about the trains that have carried them places, blocked their paths, etc.. People have stared at the train and imagined a romantic luxurious world. Many just see the journey the train is rolling along with emerged in a past, a brief moment where the train passes, and then the tracks empty again.
so do I have a train song in my soul? There are many. Have I written a train song...sort of the train shows up in many of my efforts. One of my favorite lines is
I was standing on the crossroads wondering which way I should be running? staring down the track wondering how fast that train.was coming.
What is your favorite train song? Here are a few of mine...
Long Train Runnin’ The Doobie Brothers The OJays “Love Train
(Which I saw on Soul Train. The Locomotion which isn’t really a train song it’s a dance song about a train motion. Folsom Prison Blues ( my disability parody link is below. Of course Gladys Knight and her ???quick fill in the blank... are leavin’ on the Midnight Train toGeorgis and Janice was busted flat in Baton Rouge waitin’ on the train. Oh and the unfortunate one who had one foot on the platform and one foot on the train that was headin’ back to New Orleans to wear that ball and chain. Ozzy and his gang are headed off the rails on the “crazy train.” with that...I I I I had better draw this to a close. So. Get on board the Love Train crank up a train song or two and enjoy the rhythm of the rails—actually it’s. The railroad ties that produce the soothing stuff and the ties are. The things that cross your path... start enjoying the things that cross. Your path and seeking peace and joy just might be the trip you hoped it would be and so much more......
You. Are the little train that can
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