This Road

Driving down the road, sheer contentment overwhelms me. I'm southbound on 20 ferrying the kids back from Aikido. They've run out their energy and sit quietly letting the breeze from the rolled down windows ruffle their hair. The day, sunny and 70's, gives way to dark clouds of a storm front swept in on a breeze tangy with salt. Filtered through the swath of forest, the salt mingles with the fecund green scent of pine trees, moss and blackberry brambles heavy with fruit. The shuffle kicks up This Road by Jars of Clay:

Oh heavy laden
Acquainted with Sorrow
may Christ in our marrow
carry us home.

From alabaster
come blessings of laughter
a fragrance of passion
and joy from the truth

Grant the unbroken
tears ever flowing
From hearts of contrition
only for you

May sin never hold true
that love never broke though
For God's mercy holds us
and we are His own

chorus:
This Road that we travel
May it be the straight and narrow
God give us peace and grace from you
all the day through

Shelter with Fire
our voices we raise still higher
God give us peace and grace from you
all the day through

Our car tops the crest of the hill. Looking to my right I see the mist encroaching up the silver sliver of Puget Sound. To the left the still placid waters of Penn Cove. As I roll down the hill, the sweet fragrance of clover fields creeps under the sea scent replacing it. So consuming and pervasive, it becomes a sweet taste on my tongue and I hum my contentment like a bee.