I watched the movie, Australia, today. Several times throughout the movie the little aborigine boy says to Mrs. Boss (Nicole Kidman) whenever they're about to be parted, "I will sing you to me," to which she responds, "And I will listen." This little boy's walkabout is an important sub-plot. In the movie they explain a walkabout as an Aboriginal boy's rite-of-passage for him to learn the song of his ancestors. It's a time for him to remember where he comes from so he has his own story to tell when he's a man. I'd like to think that Mom's just on a walkabout, that this is her "spiritual journey" to commune w/ her ancestors and learn their songs. Then sometime in the future, she'll call me to her so she can teach them to me. I'll be listening.
It occurs to me, however, that what would happen to someone who has gone on his walkabout but has lost all those memories and songs due to a stroke or Alzheimer's, for examples. Merle is an octogenarian man who walks his two dogs past my house every day, and has for almost 11 years. The other day he asked me if I'd met Jack, the younger dog that he got a few years ago. I told him I had, and my surprised tone must have been enough for Merle to inform me that he had a brain aneurysm last winter that resulted in a great deal of memory loss. My first thought was quite selfish as I again thanked God that my brain aneurysm six years ago didn't have any lasting effects. Then I thought, I hope Merle shared all his memories w/ someone so his song isn't lost.
It also occurs to me that this blog has become my virtual walkabout. I'm on a spiritual journey toward understanding death and mourning. This blog is a platform for me to recall memories that I hope will be helpful to my daughters in learning their songs someday.
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