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Tuesday, March 05, 2013

This time, I stopped for the train

Choo
Woodstock, ON
March 2013
Please click here for more
On the way home from Montreal yesterday, I decided to get off the highway and drive through Woodstock, Ontario. We had been on the 401 for much of the day, and I needed a red light or two to shake out the growing knots in my back. Fat chance, I know, but we needed the change of scenery and pace.

We've made this sad journey home previously (link), and then as now, the darkness seemed all-encompassing. Then as now, nothing I could say would change anything. There was no way to make anyone smile. So I drove.

Until we came across this railroad crossing. The same one that stopped me on the way to work a couple of months ago (link). And the lights were once again blinking. And we were the only car around. So I pulled up to the barrier as the train approached in the deepening evening sky. And I shot this lousy, blurry, badly exposed and composed shot through our dirty windshield. Then, for good measure, I grabbed an even blurrier, more badly exposed and composed video clip by hanging my arm out the window:

I can't tell you why I did any of this.  But at the time, sitting in a stopped car with hundreds of tons of steel whizzing past mere feet from the front bumper, it seemed like the right thing to do. Because if I got any of my brood to smile or focus on something else even for a few seconds, it was worth it. In the end, I doubt I succeeded, but I'll keep trying.

Related links in case you're just joining us:

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6 comments:

  1. Cloudia6:13 PM, March 05, 2013

    Style really does trump sincere emotion at such times. Called courage, stiff upper lip, character. Hearts are with you and yours. Shalom

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kalei's Best Friend8:56 PM, March 05, 2013

    The things we do or say when we are at a loss...All in time, Csrmi... Take it as it comes, it all works its way...I am sure everyone in that vehicle understands... don't try and make logic out of this... emotion is not logical... ((HUGS)).. My daughter just found out a co worker's dad ended his life.. My daughter is taking it hard..

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  3. ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©9:42 PM, March 05, 2013

    It is a fine orbs shot, Carmi.
    ~

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unknown12:14 AM, March 06, 2013

    Thoughts and prayers flowing your way, Carmi. It is good to pause even for seconds to take in this photo.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gilly4:16 AM, March 07, 2013

    Good thing you didn't try to dodge the barrier!

    Just take time. You can't rush grief. Very slowly, the ordinary things of life will start pushing through, and gradually, gradually, you will find happy memories are predominant.

    But let the talk flow as it wants to.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pat Tillett8:21 PM, March 09, 2013

    Carmi, I'm catching up here and it's usually okay to do so in a backwards manner. However, this time it seems I've got to go back several posts and see what has transpired.

    ReplyDelete

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