Nathan Henry Harris: Born June 4, 1967--Died July 4th, 2000
Nathan sat straight up in bed. He felt like he had not sat up but instead had been pulled up by a long string coming down from the sky. Maybe it had been hooked up to a passing plane (?). Maybe Nathan was God's yo-yo (?). He looked out the window and saw the fireworks opening up like giant flowers in the sky. The twinkling bits left after the violent opening were like seeds falling to the ground leading to the sprouting of more beautiful fire flowers. Nathan began to stand, then there was a flash before his eyes much too bright to be the work of any man's hands.
His back fell flat onto the bed. He felt the brightness enter through his eyes and race through his body like a horse and chariot causing a white hot pain before exiting through his toes. When it stopped, he felt the sweat cover his back and realized his fingernails were digging into his palms like he was trying to grab the heat as it was passing through his body. He closed his eyes and the light came again. Nathan became aware of what was happening this time, this was the end, he was burning out like the fireworks he had admired moments earlier. It subsided again and nathan rolled to his side out of breath. He looked out his window trying to see the garden in the sky.
And as the grand finale fireworks began, Nathan Henry Harris did not think of what had led him to be Nathan Henry Harris. He didn't think of his birth or the birth of his parents or the birth of their parents or the soon-to-be birth of his child from the womb of the only woman he had ever truely loved. He did not follow the road back through his marriage, college career, or high school and childhood years. Nor did he think of what his family's road would look like after they came home to find him curled up on the bed this way.
Instead, Nathan thought about the ocean. He closed his eyes and heard the waves, they washed over him and inside of him. He thought, "there is an ocean inside of me waiting to get out!" And then the finale ended, and so did the thought, and so did Nathan Henry Harris with the ocean still inside of him.
Thanks, Jackson--I appreciate it.
3 comments:
Just got back from Buenos Aires!!!
How is high school??
yep, still teaching. still working for Mr. Stillwell. still directing plays, we are doing Much Ado about Nothing again, and I keep thinking of the first time at Snowcrest!
Life is awesome. Sweatband needs a blog!
And yes, I understood all the Spanish that you said because I rock. I am giving free French lessons at the high school, in prep for our trip next summer. I am probably moving to Paris next summer for a few months! Ah yeah!!
I am NOT MKL!!!!!!!!!!! How many times do I have to tell you!
I am going to France in about three weeks! Yeehaw.
Just got back from New York. I saw Oprah (she touched me), Tom Cruise (he scares me), DAniel Radcliff (the boy can actually act) and Katie Holmes (the poor girl can't act at all!!)
It rocked!!
I love my life.
Hey, I need to email your mom some questions. Can you send me her email address?
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