The day after my mom passed I woke up very early, before dawn. I was sad, but also relived, as she had endured the last couple of years becoming more debilitated from Parkinson’s disease. Still, I was sad. I didn’t want to wake my partner so I made a cup of coffee, and poured it into a cup with a picture of my mom and dad that my sister-in-law had made for all of us. The photo was at the beach house where our large family gathered every year for a reunion. But I didn’t want to sit inside in the dark, so I walked down to the trail so I could sit at a favorite spot and watch the sun rise.
Slowly the light of dawn rose and I looked out over the water at the Austin skyline. I sat there thinking about my mom and dad, drinking my coffee in the mug with their faces on it, just reminiscing. My dad had passed a few years before and I was grateful they were together again. And that my mom was “whole” again, able to move freely as an angel. I imagined them flying around, free as birds. In that early moments after the sun finally rose, with the sunlight on the lake, I spotted two swans. I hadn’t seen any swans on the lake in years, and when I had, they were far up the lake, by Mopac. I was so surprised to see these swans at all. In the silence of the moment, they quietly swam towards me and just floated at the water’s edge, occasionally dabbling for water or a little food. The moment was very serene, and surreal. Could it be them? The spirit of my parents? Together again, coming to see see me at dawn, by the lake. Why not? They stayed with me the entire time, just floating together, and then they started paddling off into the lake, gently gliding through the water as the sun lifted up in the sky. I said goodbye for now, and I love you. It was a beautiful moment I will never forget. I went home and told my partner about it, and told my family when we had her service. Everyone agreed it must have been them. I’ve never seen the swans since then.
Shake up your Wednesday nights with Music on the Trail—a free live music series right on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail. Every week, the Rainey Street Trailhead lawn transforms into Austin’s coolest outdoor concert spot, featuring incredible local musicians.
We are excited to team up again with the Rowing Dock for Austin’s largest land and lake Earth Day clean-up! Austin is known for its beautiful green spaces and natural attractions like the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Lady Bird Lake. We are all grateful for the opportunity to live and work in Austin, and it’s time to give back to the spaces that provide us with so much.
Join us Saturday, April 26th, from 9 AM - 1 PM at our second annual Holly BioBlitz event! Join local experts and community members in a collaborative effort to unveil the rich biodiversity of our site.
Join us for a free, family-friendly event filled with live music, interactive eco-friendly activities, a vibrant maker’s market, and fun for all ages. Come celebrate, explore, and make lasting memories on the Butler Trail!
Location: 1920 E Riverside Drive, Suite A-120 PMB 223 Austin, TX 78741
Phone: 1-855-44-TRAIL
The Trail Conservancy is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID: 87-0699956.
Join us for the 20th Annual Maudie’s Moonlight Margarita 5K Fun Run on Thursday, June 8, 2023.
Purchase your tickets now and save! Prices increase on May 8.