An Adventure

       So I arrive around 4:30 pm to meet up with Dal, who I was pleased to see was as eager as I was to get out doors. After instructing me to get my truck, he quickly ran up stairs to get Lily. All loaded up we headed to Bear Creek Trail in Lakewood. We walked for a good 10 minutes, the scenery was full of the greenest trees full with leaves and the texture of the bark was standing out even more so today due to the shadows that the sun light helped create. A creek 8 to 9 feet across flowed calmly with such ease. I pulled out the old sketch book and found an image i wanted to recreate. Well Lily sniffed around exploring the terrain, Dal sat on a rock and jammed his harmonica. I will tell you that I never really heard it played before, well not like him, very relaxing tones came singing into my ears. We packed up and continued on walk after about 20 minutes.
        In the truck again, heading back, I took Dal to get his prescriptions. We were in King Soopers for no more than 10 minutes, paid, and continued home. I was a good 3 blocks from Dal's apartment when he realized he had misplaced his wallet. What a great day and to be ruined like this was not going to be in our future. We turned around and retraced our steps, looked and asked everyone if they had found a wallet. The search was endless, I was determined to help my friend as I know he would me. With not a worry in the world Dal chuckled to him self and said lets go no worries. I would have been flipping out, the end of the world so to speak if I were in his shoes, this he knows.  So he says this to me, "This brings us back to what we talked about earlier today, there are things we can control and fix with our hands, and the things we can't, forget them, and move forward."

The Return of Dal

It has been a few weeks since our last visit due to life interrupting our time. I wasted no time jumping right into showing him my new pieces i have been working on in class and sitting in on what I think was the most important critique that I have had so far this year. I can tell that he was impressed and his critique was very straight forward and honest like the man himself. Dal has been pursuing his passion for art a whole year now, given, looking at his work you would have thought he has been doing this a lot longer.
              Afterwards we walked up to his apartment to grab a very excited, medium sized black dog, Dal's trusting companion, 8 year old Lily. We all three then proceeded to walk to the park a few blocks from the apartment, to go find a tree to sketch out and be critiqued next week. During this time we talked about our love for the outdoors, trees and life. If you could see us together, you would sit and ask yourself, what does a 63 year old and a 29 year old have in common? A lot I tell yeah! I could not believe even 2 months ago, that I would be having a talk, starting about mostly art and then drifting into an hour and a half conversation, ending with a hug and a new found respect for Dal Gordon. I have at least 10 more weeks with Dal, I am curious to see what this relationship is going to bring two different men, in different parts of their lives. What knowledge will be given and what knowledge will be passed on.
              I feel in my heart that everyone that reads this, take a chance and start a friendship with a person that is completely out of character. You will be amazed on how alike you two could actually be.
            "Only a person that is ignorant will pass judgement first sight, but a person most genuine at heart will see through the exterior." - D.Vers One