falling

sometimes i make really stupid decisions based on my inability to realize that i'm no longer 20.

last week i foolishly agreed to take a redeye flight from l.a. to toronto so that i could have a full day to do whatever i wanted to do in one of my favorite cities in the world. it seemed like a good idea at the time since i had no way of knowing that i'd have one bitch of a headache during the 4.5 hour flight from lax to yyz.

translation: i got NO sleep.

regardless, i was determined to accomplish one of the goals on my bucket list once i arrived in canada. i had to see niagra falls. my parents had been there, all of my siblings--even my grandmother who passed away in 1981. i'd been to TO many times but had just never gotten around to making that 80-mile trek to experience one of the planet's most breathtaking natural wonders.

i was determined this time because i've come to realize that tomorrow really isn't promised. if you wanna do something, you have to do it now.

so, with my knapsack on my back and my camera equipment stored in my roller bag, i walked up to the rental car counter, handed the clerk my driver's license, credit card and new mantra.

i need a car right now dude. i'm living for the moment.

at 6:30 a.m., he so didn't care.

it was a lovely drive. sensing that i was going to need some body fuel, i stopped once to get an egg mcmuffin and a hot cup of tea. half of tea spilled out when i was trying to re-open the car door because i was too out of it to realize that the roof on my WTF kind of dodge is this was slanted.

about 35 minutes later i was driving through ontario's unimpressive wine country--i'm sorry, give me napa, tuscany, the rhone or my cousin arnie's homemade wine--and less than 40 minutes later i arrived in niagra, a little resort village that is about 200 miles beyond cheesy.

the canadian side of the falls looks like disneyland threw up on las vegas, circa 1967. the only thing missing was the rat pack.

ironically, once you get into that crazed maze of chain restaurants, casinos and tacky tourist traps, signs and arrows directing you to the falls are nowhere to be found. fortunately, i've been blessed with a good sense of direction. i looked to my left and there it was--god's eternal shower.

since i had gotten there so early i got to park for free in a lot that would have otherwise cost me $8. the streets were empty and i only saw a handful of people strolling along the edge of the falls.
the mist was so thick at times that you could barely see through it, but the raging currents cascading over that ledge were a sight to behold. suddenly my fatigue dissipated, my head stopped pounding and for about 20 minutes all was right in the world.

my only regret is that i couldn't share that dance with laura, rhonda, mary, pappy and all my other friends who are bravely fighting through some of life's inevitable challenges. hopefully, these visuals will strengthen them, too.