Michelle's Graduation

2009grads001, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

2009grads002, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

My sister Michelle graduated with a Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Washington University. As her older brother, I feel a great deal of pride in her accomplishment. Her dedication and hard work have opened new doors to the future.

Tim

Tim, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Tim, my friend and brother from another lifetime. Thanks for making our trip to Oklahoma possible, but more importantly, thanks for opening your home and your heart. This connection, like an invisible cord, has caused our paths to cross in unexpected ways, and as the future becomes the present, I look forward to see what unfolds.

Memory

The site of the Oklahoma City bombing stands like an island of memory upon the ashes of tragedy. We had not planned to visit the memorial, but we passed by anyway. Besides, we could hardly step so close to history without stopping to offer some respect.

The memorial affected me much more than I expected. It felt like a dream, both tragic and haunting.

Two arches mark the entrance to the street that once passed by the destroyed federal building. One arch bears the simple inscription 9:01, just one minute before the fateful explosion, while the second arch bears the inscription 9:03, one minute after the explosion. The precise moment of devastation stands forever immortalized between the two solemn arches of history.

Jen's daughter pauses to reflect on the dead. Chairs bearing their names stand in stark rows where the building once stood.

The Survivor Tree is perhaps the one bright spot of the memorial. It survived the original blast, and now stands as a living monument to hope. I captured this photograph of Jen's children sitting above an inscription: "Rooted Faith Sustains Us." The tree and the children are a testimony of this abiding faith.

Robert & JenX

Robert & JenX, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

During our recent trip to Oklahoma City, we had the chance to visit another fellow blogger who goes by the name of JenX. Her blog name is a play on words that reflects her interest in all matters related to "Generation X." Jen originally linked to my blog through an effort to identify "Generation X" bloggers from all 50 states. I received the honor and good fortune to represent Washington State on esteemed her blog list.

Meeting JenX was a little like meeting a celebrity. Her blog is so much more professional than mine, and certainly reaches a far wider audience. She writes with the skill of a seasoned author, the heart of poet, and the mind of a theologian. By any standard, she's a star in my book.

Jen also made me feel comfortable, even loved. She opened her home the way she opens her heart.

And then there's her husband, Robert.

From the moment we met, I felt like Robert and I were old friends from another time or place. We conversed freely and easily as though we had known each other for many years. The day we met, we built a fire and cooked salmon on the grill. Robert cut down branches from a nearby pecan tree and added them to the fire. "This will add flavor," he said. The whole experience was so simple and yet profound, like a reunion of two ancestral brothers.

I pray this connection will deepen and grow.

Donis

Donis, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Donis is one of my regular readers from Oklahoma. We originally met through comments and links made to my blog from her blog.

Up until the day we arrived in Oklahoma, I didn't even know her real name, but when we met in person, I felt as though we had known each other for many years. Donis holds a rare light in a world too often characterized by insincerity and superficial friendships. She laughs easily from a place of deep authenticity, and even as she recounts the hardships of her life, I sense an underlying gratitude in her stories. This is a woman sanctified by grief and made rich through her experience.

No doubt some higher destiny brought us together. I feel humbled and honored to make her acquaintance, and I feel certain she will yet teach me many lessons for graceful living.

Her blog can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Bloggy People

Bloggy People, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

As our visit with Donis drew to a close, we posed for a final photograph. Rhonda's comment made me laugh. She said, "We need a picture with all you bloggy people."

Of course, we couldn't have it any other way.

So here we are, the three "bloggy people," Tim, Donis, and Barry.

Flower Spirits

IMG_6391, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

IMG_6384, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

IMG_6401, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

IMG_6407, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

IMG_6405, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Tim (TR) and I braved chiggers, ticks, and venemous snakes to photograph some of the amazing flowers growing on the hills near the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. How ironic that such wonderous beauty grows among a host of noxious pests and deadly reptiles. Despite the apparent dangers, the flowers practically forced me from the comfort of man-made things to appreciate their variety and color.

Tim, can you name all these flowers? Are they all indigenous to Oklahoma, or are any of them invasive?

Oklahoma Jungle

River, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

During our recent trip, we met Donis (more about Donis coming soon) at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area near Sulphur, Oklahoma.

The beauty of that place surprised me. Maybe I held to some negative stereotype of Oklahoma as the land of barren plains and tumbleweeds, or perhaps I had never actually seen pictures from Oklahoma. In any case, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area captivated me with its wildlife, flowers, trees, and rivers. In fact, the dense vegetation gave me a subtle impression of a jungle in Central America or the Yucatan Peninsula.

The river meandered through the trees and spilled over numerous stone-shelf waterfalls. Pools of water formed around each shelf and provided natural swimming areas. I forgot my swimming suit, but I couldn't help kicking off my shoes and getting my feet wet.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Rhonda and I traveled to Oklahoma City over the weekend as a direct result of my blog.

My blog began simply as a means to communicate with family members living out of state. From time to time, I sent pictures of the kids when they performed in a play or took part in some other community event. I never expected non-family to notice my blog, much less to follow anything I say.

As it turns out, several individuals from Oklahoma did take notice and began to leave comments on my blog. From comments and emails, to Skype calls, human relationships began to emerge.

But this isn't how I generally build relationships. I never intentionally sought friends online through email or chat. If anything, the idea frightens me just a little. Everything about my newfound blog friendships drove me toward uncharted waters.

Things took a massive leap into the unknown when one of my Oklahoma friends invited Rhonda and I to visit. Once I worked through my own misgivings, the thought of visiting excited me. On the other hand, Rhonda worked through issue in her own time. "How do we know who these people are?"

A few close family members reminded us of negative news reports involving online dating gone bad, or deviants who lure away minors for immoral purposes. But we weren't dating, and we're not minors. What's more, we made connections with several people over a long period of time.

We were simply a group of bloggers joined by a common thread, so we made the leap and traveled to Oklahoma. Our trip was very rewarding. In fact, we made connections far more meaningful than I would have expected in such a short time. In many ways encounter felt like an act of destiny.

In blog posts to come, I plan to highlight the connections we made.

The photograph above was taken at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area near Sulphur, Oklahoma.

The Barry

The Pose, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

As sort of a random fact, TR didn't realize that I create all my own self-portraits. I work really hard to get that "look" just right. He promptly labeled my pose 'the Barry," which I then had to show the others.

In this photograph I am showing Robert and Tim how to do "the Barry."

Coming Soon

Rhonda and I got up this morning at 5:45 to catch our flight from Oklahoma to Salt Lake City. Of course, if we translate this to Pacific Daylight Time, we actually got up at 3:45 am. Now we're home and I'm thoroughly exhausted. I would love to post pictures from our trip, but I'm just too damn tired. Maybe I'll have more to say tomorrow after a good night's sleep.

Oklahoma

I'm blogging from Oklahoma and making some amazing friends. However, the night sky draws me in with its hypnotic wind and flashes of lightning. I'm just too busy drinking up the last remnants of my trip to sit a minute longer at my computer. I'll just have to blog my experiences later.

Mea Culpa

I have a confession.

Last Saturday I photographed a once-in-a-lifetime event and LOST the pictures. Can you believe it?!?? My co-workers Carole Parks and John Page received medals from the Spokane Fire Department for their role in saving the life of another co-worker Bob Downs. Everyone was counting on me to memorialize the event through my photography, and then I LOST the pictures. Where did they go? I still have NO idea, so I sulked into work this week and made my confession to everyone affected by this inexplicable mishap.

"Don't beat me," I pleaded, but everyone handled the news with humor and grace.

Deb Abrahamson

Deb Abrahamson, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Deb Abrahamson represented the SHAWL Society at the recent press conference in City Hall protesting the new police ombudsman.

The SHAWL Society is a grassroots organization based on the Spokane Indian Reservation dedicated to protecting the environment. They initially mobilized in response to the massive uranium mining wastes on the reservation, but have grown to encompass many other issues. SHAWL provides education on a wide range of topics, including uranium radiation, indigenous plants, health, and Native traditions, among others.

SHAWL stands for Sovereignty, Health, Air, Water, and Land.

The SHAWL Society website.

Shonto Pete

Shonto Pete, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Shonto Speaks, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Shonto Pete spoke to the media on Friday to address the issue of police misconduct in Spokane. Because of personal experience, Shonto knows this issue better than most anyone.

To summarize briefly, Shonto Pete was shot in the head by Jay Olsen, an off-duty police officer, after Olsen accused him of trying to steal his vehicle. The officer was intoxicated and chased Shonto into Peaceful Valley, near downtown Spokane. He shot Shonto in the back of the head as he fled. Miraculously, Shonto survived. In court proceedings that followed, Shonto was found not guilty of attempted theft, but then the officer was also found not guilty of first-degree assault and reckless endangerment. The officer resigned the police force, but his not guilty verdict provoked a wave of outrage and protest from the Native American community.

For a list of Spokesman-Review articles on this subject click HERE.

After this and related incidents, Shonto Pete is demanding greater accountability from the local police department.

On a personal note, I've known Shonto for the last several years after he attended Moses Family gatherings on the Spokane Reservation.

Agnes Broncheau

Agnes Broncheau, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Agnes in the Spotlight, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Agnes Broncheau also attended the ombudsman press conference at city hall, representing Spokane VOICES.

Since the early 90s, I've known Agnes as a passionate advocate for addiction recovery and positive Native identity. Now she lends her support to VOICES, a local organization working to provide education, community access, and support to low-income people in the Spokane area.

In her statement to the press, she highlighted the special challenges faced by people with limited resources in the face of police misconduct. An ombudsman with true authortative oversight would help alleviate the burden of the poor.

The VOICES website.

Demonstration

Demonstration, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Last Friday, a group of concerned citizened convened in Spokane City Hall to protest the creation of a new police ombudsman office. In a statement to the press, they said, "Our community deserves real and lasting change in the Spokane Police Department. The Police Ombudsman cannot conduct independent investigations and cannot discipline officers who use excessive force or otherwise abuse the public. This is not reform; it is just spending taxpayer money on window dressing.

"Let the city know that we will not be fooled again. Let Shonto Pete, the family of Otto Zehm, and all of the others know they are not alone. End police abuse and hold the city of Spokane accountable!"

Those who addressed the media on Friday: Liz Moore, director of Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, Shonto Pete, Tom keefe, attorney who worked with the Seattle Police Department on issues of misconduct and accountability, Agnes Broncheau, board member of VOICES, Ron Anderson, chair of the board of National Alliance on Mental Illness, Spokane Affiliate, Bart Haggin of the Progressive Democrats of America, Spokane Chapter, Dave Browneagle of Medicine Wheel Academy, and Deb Abrahamson, director of SHAWL Society.

Many of these same individuals are planning a "Rally For Real Police Reform," to convene Thursday, June 25, at 5:00 pm, in front of Spokane City Hall.

The Grave

Grave, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Last week, my uncle Pat mentioned the declining respect for Memorial Day. He said that many years ago, whole families gathered in the cemeteries to clean graves and to show respect for their deceased elders. Nowadays, hardly anyone remembers.

His words pricked my heart and made me realize that in the fifteen years since my father passed away, I have never taken my children to his grave on Memorial Day. In fact, I'm not even sure all my kids have even seen the grave. In years past, I tended to avoid my father's grave, like the way I avoided the feelings of anger, abandonment, and bereavement. But my uncle made me see beyond my personal feelings. My children deserve to know their forebears, if even through the stories I tell.

We drove to Wellpinit on Memorial Day, and visited my father's final resting place. My children saw the stone and heard the stories. They also saw my tears, and hopefully felt some small portion of my love.

We visited many other graves, like a walking lesson in family history: my auntie Marlene, my yaya Bessie, my yaya Minnie, and my great grandfather, Wilson Moses. Each grave holds a different story.

The cemetery visit wasn't all death and gloom. Actually, it was a celebration of life and deep family bonds. As my children learned their genealogy, many of their living relatives also arrived to pay respect. We saw some family members who have been away for many years. It was like a family reunion for both the living and the dead. This thing I dreaded became a beautiful experience.

Turtle Lake

Turtle Lake, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Turtle Lake 2, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

After visiting my father's grave, we had lunch near Turtle Lake.

The sights and sounds of that place brought back faint memories from my childhood. Families fishing from the docks reminded me of similar days spent with my father many years ago. I learned to cast a line at Turtle Lake, as well as I could at age four. Most often, the line tangled on itself and my father would have to rescue me.

On warm summer days, we rowed across the lake in a boat, and in the winter, we picked a hole in the ice. Those were happy, simple days. What ever happened to make me forget those times?

Dakota

d0001m, originally uploaded by sulustumoses.

Every once in a while I get a really good picture of my children, like this photograph of Dakota taken near Turtle Lake on the Spokane Reservation. Of course, we fancied it up, just a little. He must have liked this picture also, because he added it right away to his Facebook.