River Magic

By Leigh-Latrelle Jenkins- Freelance Writer

I recently, and I mean really recently, had to change my relationship status on social media and in my world, that means pack the cooler, grab the speaker - 'cause we're going to the river to get over it.

My bestie, Sass, and her two grown daughters spent the first few weeks after my break up trying to nurse my broken heart by forcing me to do my makeup every day and physically dragging me out of my queen-sized safe space. Recently they forced me to go to the dam on Highway 55 near Camp Wood to swim in the Nueces River.

It's a little bit of drive to the dam. About 35 miles from Uvalde. As the car bounced down the road, I sat there with my dark sunglasses on drowning in all the 'why me' feels. The radio was loud. I was trying to sing Tejano and eat chocolates while Sass and the girls laughed and talked in that way that reminded me of my own far away family. Most people in my position would rage against that kind of noise and chaos, but not me. I wanted to hear everything except for my own thoughts.

The drive was finally over. The car was parked. The coolers and chairs were planted firmly on the concrete. The chaos returned. This time with even louder music, about a dozen people laughing and being so irritatingly happy about their lives, cold-turkey sandwiches with too much mayonnaise, and children squealing and splashing in the water. And where was I? I was sitting right in the middle of all of it staring at my phone.

After a while something suddenly got my attention. I think it was the glare from the sun reflecting off my screen. I looked up and saw the magic over my right shoulder. How long had this been happening? Who let the sun start sinking towards the earth and not bother to tell me about it?

The sun was gently setting over the small mountains in the distance behind the dam and its rays of light were shining down so deeply on the water that the reflection felt like, well, like magic. I wasn't paying attention to my phone anymore. I slipped into the water and that 'peace like a river' feeling my mother's old gospel songs talked about swirled around me. The longer I stood there, hip deep in the water, the more I began to finally accept my heart's fate.

River magic.

Insert blast from glitter canon.

"The Dam", as the locals call it, on Highway 55 is just about a forty-minute drive from the center of Uvalde. The actual dam is parallel to Highway 55 and the road bridges over the Nueces River providing shade to the old concrete crossing that serves as the parking and picnic area some 50 feet below. There is no charge to park and party there. It is first come, first served. You are REQUIRED to pack out your own trash and leave no trace. Cell service can be a little spotty. There is a convenience store, ironically named the Dam Store, less than a quarter mile north of the crossing. Its location makes the "we need more beer run" a little easier than driving the four miles into Camp Wood. Strangely, the dam area has a lake feel and is pretty much family friendly with shallow-ish areas for swimming. During the week, it is ideal for a relaxed peek at the sunset after a long day at work. We found out for ourselves that when it was raining in Uvalde, the sun was out at the dam. The Nueces crosses over the dam on 55 at GPS coordinates 29.6180474, -100.0094150

How To Find Me: Don't follow me for relationship advice, but if you want see interesting pics and follow my adventures, you can find me on my social media channels @leighlatrelle