Saturday Slight

It's another beautiful spring day. The temps will get to about 65 today. Daffodils and hyacinths are adding some color to the lawn, which is quickly turning deep green and GROWING. I'll be on the lawnmowers tomorrow, for sure.

This is one of those Saturdays when everything seems to be happening at once. One of those big everything's is the Kentucky Derby, and for the first time in I don't know how long I'll miss it. I love the Derby and have always harbored the desire that attending it some day is one of the THINGS TO DO before this earthly life ends for me. Heck, I'd even wear one of those fancy hats.

For now, watching on TV is okay, and there hasn't been a year that the tears haven't rolled down my cheeks while watching the horses and the crowd and listening to "My Old Kentucky Home." Maybe, since it's an equestrian center, there'll be a TV where Lily and Lefty are going today.

I guess the day's plans more than make up for missing the Derby, though. Today marks the beginning of another lifetime dream with horses. There's just something inexplainable about horse dreams. They reside so close to the heart. Maybe that has to do with my lifetime love of the beasts and their beauty and their individual stories of heart.

I don't know where Lily and Lefty will go with the beginnings they receive during their "schooling" with Monty, but I'll enjoy the journey every step of the way and my heart will burst with emotion often. To put it lightly, today is a special day.

Today also carries some sadness for two good longtime friends of mine. First, I must tell about Ron Hunt. He's, by a far stretch, a shirttail relative of mine. His cousin is married to my cousin Lori. We taught together for several years before I knew that. When I learned it, though, I just kinda chuckled and said that I knew he came from good stock because he was a good man.

Ron taught history at Sandpoint High School for three decades after moving up here from the Colfax area. He coached basketball. He married Linda Miller, and they have a daughter Mindy, who paired up with Willie years ago, carrying the flowers and the crown at an SHS Homecoming. Ron also has daughters from a previous marriage.

Back in the '70s when I was still the drill team adviser, I met his oldest daughter Rondell, and was blown away with her poise, friendliness, maturity and overall charm. I saw her off and on over the years. One of his daughters distinguished herself as a National High School Rodeo queen. I met her once at a horse show in Colfax. I also knew Andee, another daughter who spent some time in Sandpoint.

Now, back to Ron. For years, Ron was the social chairman for the SHS faculty, arranging all the logistics for Christmas and year-end gatherings. Ron was the guy who kept track when people were suffering from illnesses, tragedies, etc. He saw to it that the faculty responded to their needs.

Our family were recipients of Ron's good works back in 1984 when our house burned down. I knew that he and Linda spearheaded a drive to help put our lives back together again. Ron also took the time to encourage Annie to turn out for the high school golf team her freshman year---a move that was to make a great difference in her life. As I write this, the emotion of those moments and those days is overpowering because one never forgets the goodness of humanity when one is the recipient.

Well, the emotion of those days is paralleling the emotion and sadness I'm feeling for Ron and Linda, Mindy, Rondell, and Andee this morning. We often read in the paper about tragedies associated with car accidents. This week seems to have a glut on such news around the area. I was touched the other day when I heard about the teens who were killed in an accident near Colfax. I heard on the news how grief-stricken the entire town was with the tragedy. Though I had no idea who these kids were, I felt sad.

Last night I learned that those teens were Ron's grandchildren. Another granddaughter was injured in the rollover, but her injuries were not life-threatening.

At times like this, one can find no words to express the gravity of such a tragedy, except to encourage everyone to keep Ron and Linda and their daughters and grandchildren in their thoughts and prayers.

Bad things happen to good people, they say. And, often with no explanation. The only silver lining to this tragedy is that I know that Ron and his family will feel the love, thoughtfulness and generosity that has been so much of his own life of giving and caring so much about others.

Much love to you all in the Hunt family.