Coyote Magic

It’s been a minute. Or rather, six months….. which just seems unreal. Three events disengage us from the human construct of time: birth, death, and falling in love. When we’re in the midst of those three things, time gets weird.

I didn’t realize the winter had passed until I heard the calls of the sandhill cranes the first week of March. And instead of thrilling me as they always have, they filled me with dread. Since Charlie came into my life, I have always celebrated our birthdays together. When I realized April was on the horizon, I got nervous about how I would feel on our birthday this year, this being the first one without him here. But Charlie orchestrated a wonderful adventure for me.

In March, I got an email from a powerhouse in the art world inviting me to place a piece in a group show she was curating in Jackson Hole. She needed all the art by April 12 (my birthday) to start hanging the show. So instead of dealing with shipping my work, I decided to drive the giant framed photo of Charlie to Jackson myself and make a mini vacation out of it.

When I told the curator my plan, she offered me her gorgeous house in downtown Jackson to stay in, since she and her husband had moved to a ranch outside of town. What a gift. I truly believe that Charlie conspired with the curator to deliver me to Jackson so I could spend our birthday surrounded by art and possibility instead of moping around at home. It was made even more special by knowing that Charlie’s legacy lives on, and that his magic will continue to reach new people through this show.

I hadn’t been to Jackson since I rode through on my Vespa, and it had been so cold and overcast that August day fifteen years ago that I never even got to see the Tetons in their full glory, as they were shrouded in fog. In person, they really do take your breath away.

The house I stayed in was a work of art in and of itself, filled with art and art books, and the way the light danced through the space made me wish I’d brought my camera – this trip was the first time I’ve wanted to take pictures since Charlie died. But I still had fun taking pics with my phone.

If you find yourself in Jackson Hole between now and June 14, swing by The Center for the Arts to see the show! It’s a group of seriously amazing artists with so many spectacular pieces. You can download the catalogue, which contains all the art, here.

I still have rough days. I’m not going to pretend that there hasn’t been a lot of pain since Charlie left Planet Earth. But there’s also been so much magic. Every time I call out to Charlie, he answers….. and I know he’s still my co-pilot from across the veil.