Silvery Night

Alone have I stood on the journey
No one who could share my heart
Alone have I been in my sorrows
No one who could share my joys

On a silvery night, love did come to life
Two hands to join as hearts do sing
On a summer's eve, love found me
Two now to journey on
Together in heart and thought.

© 2009 MMN

~ Morria

A Goal: Holiday Work

Snow hath come this Christmastide as of yesterday.  At last, we have good white snow.  The city looks so white and pure, thought that most likely will not last long.  Even my bike, "Meg", loves this... though I dont dare taker her out on the streets in this weather.  It looks as if tis finally time to rest her for the winter.  Until we meet again in the spring, dear "Meg".  I am sure the bike shop will care for you well.

As everyone left for Thanksgiving, and is now preparing to leave for Christmas, Robby and I are being able to pick up a bunch of extra paid work.   And that is a good thing, as in January we are journeying to Dine Bikeyah for about a week.  Other than Aaron, Skot and Rachel, and a few other families, we are not close to many anywhere...  And our Christmas was spent with Rob's family over Thanksgiving...

I love how they have made the L and other lines all festive.  In this busy bustling city, it is nice to have some good will and spirit of cheer.  I just pray that everyone, whether traveling home, journeying through the city, or snug as a bug with their computer and a cup of Zhena's Fireside Chai Tea, never forgets the Babe born on Christmas morn.  We ought not celebrate Him one morn, but all 365 days of the year.  Let us not blot out the lesson we have learned on the journeys way, and share His love all the more with those about us.

~ Morria

Wedding Bands

A ring, a promise, a pledge.
Some would ne'er understand.
One piece of metal a symbol true.
Of my love of thee.

© 2008 MMN

I surprised Robby with more lasting wedding bands for our first anniversary... They are Navajo made, done in Zuni style settings. The stones are onyx and mother of pearl set in sterling silver.  The rings are just perfect!  Robby was so surprised, and it was perfect timing as our temporary rings are nearly worn out after a year.

Happy Anniversery, my love!

~ Morria

Kentucky Thanksgiving/Christmas

Mom and Dad Nickles moved to Kentucky as planned soon after Robby and I loved to Chicago.  So, as we had to pick which holiday we went home for, we picked Thanksgiving when the roads should be better.  But then this is Greyhound, and we are dealing with Kentucky to Chicago... so who knows?

This is to be both our family Thanksgiving  and our Christmas, so we have to make the most of it... And what fun we are having.  We ate the roast beasts (turkey and ham)! We helped put up the tree at their new place.  We exchanged gifts.  And now we are just enjoying family.  It is good to have a break.

~ Morria

Reflections on Chicago...

Here I am age 25, having just gotten done with my first summer working in Dine Bikeyah at BABR...  Now I am in a city far different from the Pinon Pine and Sage Brush covered desert which I am in love with.  Here I can hear the lone coyote howling his lonely watches through the night in the near by graveyard where he lives.   Here I can here the ambulance bring the injured the the hospital 3 blocks away all hours of the night from my 5th story window.  Here I can feel the breeze from the water of lake Michigan 8 blocks away. 

Yet my heart had no peace.   I am as always a wander in a strange land, far from the place I call home....We know we just have no peace in the city and have to follow our callings...  By the time our 14 months living in Chicagoland will be up, we will be restless and trapped by the buildings....already are just 4 months in.  Still I love the city... but forever it seems the open road is calling...

~ Morria

What Do They Know?

As I am sitting here, working at the homeless shelter in Chicago, my thoughts wonder to all the homeless, the Roma, and the gypsy/bohemian/nomad/travelers of the world, especially those in dire situations...

~ Morria

What Do They Know?

I sit here in this room,

nothing but this bag to call my own

Why am I here?

What has happened?

They say I am a streetrat, 

an outcast, a vagabond.

What do they know?

I sit here praying,

Family's still on the move,

Why are we hated?

What have we done?

They say I am a streetrat, 

an outcast, a vagabond.

What do they know?

I sit here in this slum,

nothing but rot to call a home.

Why don't they care?

How could things change?

What do they know?

We have a history,

We have names.

We are humans.

We are everyone. 

MMN - 2009 

"Bardic Circle"

Today our friends the Grover's hosted a "Bardic Circle".  This weeks theme was Native Drum Circle, Aaron was there for it of course, as were many of our other gypsy, goth, subculture, traveler, and nomadic friends.  As we began to share music, songs, and stories, my heart began to cry.  What are we doing here?  Our hearts for helping other people, maybe living in Dine Bikeyah, but not in the city here.  It hurt to much, but now I realize I cannot put the open road and ministering to fellow outcasts out of my mind or heart.  Tis in there just too deep.

What now?  I dont know what this means for the future... I dont know what roads this means we will go down.  But I do know that it means Chicago is not the end point, but just a stop on the trail...

We are here in Chicago for until at least next August or September, and after that I have even less clue where we shall journey.  God, You have to be in this, because I have no clue what You are up to here...

~ Morria