Strolling and Rolling

I was up before sunrise on Saturday.  TBG was, too.  I ran to the bagel store and then put on the last layer of warm clothing and I was off to the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Linear Park at Canada del Oro Wash for the second annual community get-together sponsored by BEYOND!  There were events all over town commemorating those we lost and moving out and beyond the tragedy into the world around us.

Gabe Zimmerman is remembered by his family and friends with a tribute to the natural world.  As one of the Prince Milers repeated all morning, "there is a lot of nature here," at Christina's park.  Some of it has expanded with the irrigation provided by  Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation

Just look at the top of that barrel cactus, filled with water on top, skinny and dessicated below.

 Some of it was here before the park, 

but can be appreciated from the rest areas along the way.

It's not graffiti; it's chalk art.

There were many tents and dance troops and Jazzercize classes at the main event downtown at Armory Park, where an anonymous donor created free admission to the Children's Museum for the day.  There was a hike at Gabe's trailhead, led by his mother.  I couldn't be sad about being unable to hike his trail; I was busy sponsoring GRIN's Stroll and Roll at the other end of town.

 There were kids everywhere.

There were proud chalk artists 

and the world's largest therapy dog.

But mostly, there was love.

Tennis Mom AZ, who comments here often, brought her family to share the love.
They drove all the way from Mesa, just to say HI!

and to draw a magnificent tribute on the pathway.

That's what it was all about.

As someone else wrote:

You helped me to heal, and I thank you.

Tomorrow's post will be chalk art from the event.

Two years ago tonight no one knew my name.

How quickly things change.

How hard it is to adjust.