Mark Twain once wrote, " Drag your thoughts away from your troubles. . . by the ear, by the heels or any other way you can manage it." With two kids I seem to find myself consumed in my responsibilities and seem to never break free to reacess the situation. How do I find time to re-define how things are being played out? How do I return to my former life? Not the college guy that liked to have too much fun, but the one fascinated by life itself?
As a child I noticed the clouds, I would notice the way seasons would change to the next, I almost felt in tune with what the earth felt or what it wanted me to feel. I have since lost that natural stimulant but I feel I am on my way to being cured of the blindness I have of life and being able to live once again.
Sunday morning I awoke to a high sun, blue skies and the hope of spring. I quickly sprung out of bed, I filled the house with the aroma of fresh coffee, opened all of the blinds and began. I had the fever, spring! It was a cool 34 degrees outside but would quickly come to the temperature desired. Not a set temperature but that to which is enjoyable to be outside. I had breakfast fixed for the Princess of the Mountain as she swaggered through the house, thumb in mouth, blankie under one are and a death grip on bun-bun. With the dishes racked only one thing to do, sack lunches, water bottles and a pack. I had the backpack packed for two with extra cloths and shoes. It doesn't take much to get the Princes ready, just to mention outside and she is ready to go.
As we pulled away from the house with the radio on, the song coming through would be a sign that a good day was upon me. With the Marshall Tucker Band starting our adventure off, the drive to the Cumberland Falls located in Corbin, Kentucky, would be one of the best Sunday morning drives I have had in some time since becoming a father. The snow was still seen in the shade of the mountains the hawks were appearing in the blue sky and my company was that of a inquisitive 4 year old. Around every twist in the road was a new river carving its way through the Appalachians only for the sides to be connected by steel. Along with new bridges came questions and answers with my co-pilot, "What's this river daddy?" she would ask, "Cumberland River" I would respond. She did not like the fact that one river could be crossed so many times and still not get to the other side. Princess didn't like the fact that new adventures were not guaranteed to be an easy discovery. We missed several of our turns and having to find places to turn around were not without being questioned about my ability to find where our destination lie. " Why are you going back the other way?" she would respond followed quickly by "Are we lost?" After 45 minutes of driving and relaxing to the sun warming the car and playing question and answer we saw the sign that read, " Daniel Boone National Forest" we had arrived.
Upon our arrival at the falls, we quickly made a check of all that we needed. Food, check. Change of cloths, check. Camera, check. Smiles, check! We were ready, we had everything we needed for our outing all we needed was to find the waterfall I had promised Princess. It wasn't hard to find, the sound of thunder filled the canyon giving the spring like day a relaxing volume of noise to enjoy.
With a quick stop by the visitor center for a map, we were off to explore the beautiful mountains that were lined with towering sycamores broken up by shades of green coming from the declining hemlocks and the stretching of rhododendrons almost appearing to be reaching for the sky. Being careful not to slip on ice covered steps, we made our way down to the beach at the bottom of the falls. The beach itself was what was left of a once popular area destination, with rebar and concrete pilings crumbled by time of what used to be concessions for tourist. Sandy beach is now lined with trees fallen and rooted, some almost to grow twisting with the currents of the water. After exploring the beach the Princess was hungry for her peanut butter and jelly.
After stopping to have lunch it was time to continue down the once beaten path that is now covered in snow and fallen timber. The trail climbed its way up the gorge and to the lip of the canyon. Along the path we encountered over hangs appearing as jail cells and ice cycles hanging from trees on the shady side of the mountain. Upon arriving at the peak it was the holy grail for a 4 year old, a playground.
The playground was a hit seeing how the Princess wasn't fascinated by the waterfall. The Princess had conquered the mountain, she reached the top without the help of my back or the arms that were already holding her treasures she found on the adventure. The good news being we were half way around the loop of the day hike, now to descend back down to the falls and the coveted gift shop that had "Special" candy according to the Princess.
We made it back down the mountain, though the last half mile was with the help of daddy's back. We took one last look at the magnificent Cumberland Falls, a natural wonder in its on right. It posses the ability to form a rainbow over the canyon at night only during a peak full moon. It is the bow is known as the moonbow, one of only two places in the hemisphere this phenomenon takes place. After saying good by to the falls, and purchasing "Special" candy from the gift shop, we decided to beat the sunset home.
As earlier, my sense of direction led us different ways, but never getting lost. I decided to take the path less traveled and enjoy the southern country side of the Appalachians. The sun was in my rear view and I was at peace with the day. It left no disappointments and my Princess was all smiles. I was comfortable for the first time in a long time. I gave no thought to my worries nor did anything seem to be as bad as I once thought or assumed they were. I completed a hike with my one love and it felt good. I noticed the clouds again, the smell of fresh air the dried up leaf of the Big Leaf Magnolia and the tiny pieces of moss growing in the cracks of the crags. I felt in tune with mother nature and renewed with life. I felt alive, like I found my space again in this world, but more importantly I was able to drag my thoughts away from my troubles when I saw the same awe inspiring look I once had in the face of my daughter.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Are Biblical practices safe for everyone?
NOTE: I did not use the names of the family out of respect.
I recently had a friend who had her grandmother pass away. We have all lost someone close to us at some point in life, but if you haven't then expect to at some point. The elderly woman was last seen by a neighbor walking to her mail box Wednesday afternoon, later that evening the snow began to fall. The snow lasted all through the night and the temperature was well below freezing.
It is known that the woman suffered from dementia, she was born in the mid 1920's and I am sure she lived a long and wonderful life. I have never met the lady, but her loving granddaughter is a wonderful spirit to know and has befriended me in my time here in the Cumberland Mountains. My friend just took a trip out west to Texas, and she being a part of a tight nit family took her grandmother. That is a 980 mile trip. That is love. From what I gather, they took their time and enjoyed themselves by stopping and looking around towns and even making an appearance at Graceland. The trip I believe lasted only two weeks, but for someone in their 80's probably felt like a life time.
I have a grandmother born in the same decade, I do not know the real age of my grandmother but she swears she is only 79. Though she has been 79 for some years now. Dot-Dot, my grandmother as she is known to us children had been alone for the better part of her life. She was married once, but lost her husband in a tragic boating accident. She briefly remarried once after, though I don't think that went so well seeing how I only know through pilfering through her belongings kept stashed in her closet. It has never been mentioned so I don't ask.
Hot-Dot as I call her dedicated her life to raising her children and grandchildren. She had ample opportunity to re marry if she would have been interested, but she chose to be alone. She mocked at the idea of having another companion, " I don't think I would know what to do if I met another man." she would say. Needless to say, I being the youngest of the grand kids have brought up the rear and graduated college, got married, had kids and see her at least once every week or every other week. So now that there are no more kids to worry about, guess what she did for her self - got a man!
Dot-Dot started seeing Robert a few years ago after they met at lunch one Sunday afternoon. It did not take long for my grandmother to forget about her grand kids or her girl friends, she got herself a man. You could never find her, she was never at home, nor here nor there, just always with Robert. Her home had become like many young people who fall in love, a place to keep her things and sleep at night. She began staying out all day with Robert then coming home and going to bed, just like a teenager. It was sweet to see her act like a school age girl with a crush. She had a new life
After a few years of dating, they moved in with one another. My grandmother left the house my parents gave her, left the yard I designed for her full of blooming wonders around each corner for a new found love. I understand why, all of the other grand kids understand why, but her children not so much. Sure she has been single for most of her adult life, she married as a teenager and widowed before she could bat an eye. She has been retired for sometime now and her checks she receives from the government keep getting smaller and smaller for one to survive on. With her moving in with her man, they could survive the dwindling economy they are forced to deal with, again. Her children see it as two people not married.
Marriage from what I can gather in my short 30 years is a life long commitment. At what age should "Christians" quit judging those who live together without being married. According to 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, one should marry if they can not resist the temptation of immorality. At what point can two people well past the prime of the temptation of immorality not live together? I am for one relieved that my grandmother doesn't live alone.
The elderly woman who passed away lived alone. Living alone is not always bad, but when you look at the odds of it when you are in your 80's the odds are in Gods hand. On Thursday just before noon, county officers dusted the snow off of her frozen body and identified the body. Allegedly, she was found lying next to a straw trailer in the neighbors field frozen in memories.
I recently had a friend who had her grandmother pass away. We have all lost someone close to us at some point in life, but if you haven't then expect to at some point. The elderly woman was last seen by a neighbor walking to her mail box Wednesday afternoon, later that evening the snow began to fall. The snow lasted all through the night and the temperature was well below freezing.
It is known that the woman suffered from dementia, she was born in the mid 1920's and I am sure she lived a long and wonderful life. I have never met the lady, but her loving granddaughter is a wonderful spirit to know and has befriended me in my time here in the Cumberland Mountains. My friend just took a trip out west to Texas, and she being a part of a tight nit family took her grandmother. That is a 980 mile trip. That is love. From what I gather, they took their time and enjoyed themselves by stopping and looking around towns and even making an appearance at Graceland. The trip I believe lasted only two weeks, but for someone in their 80's probably felt like a life time.
I have a grandmother born in the same decade, I do not know the real age of my grandmother but she swears she is only 79. Though she has been 79 for some years now. Dot-Dot, my grandmother as she is known to us children had been alone for the better part of her life. She was married once, but lost her husband in a tragic boating accident. She briefly remarried once after, though I don't think that went so well seeing how I only know through pilfering through her belongings kept stashed in her closet. It has never been mentioned so I don't ask.
Hot-Dot as I call her dedicated her life to raising her children and grandchildren. She had ample opportunity to re marry if she would have been interested, but she chose to be alone. She mocked at the idea of having another companion, " I don't think I would know what to do if I met another man." she would say. Needless to say, I being the youngest of the grand kids have brought up the rear and graduated college, got married, had kids and see her at least once every week or every other week. So now that there are no more kids to worry about, guess what she did for her self - got a man!
Dot-Dot started seeing Robert a few years ago after they met at lunch one Sunday afternoon. It did not take long for my grandmother to forget about her grand kids or her girl friends, she got herself a man. You could never find her, she was never at home, nor here nor there, just always with Robert. Her home had become like many young people who fall in love, a place to keep her things and sleep at night. She began staying out all day with Robert then coming home and going to bed, just like a teenager. It was sweet to see her act like a school age girl with a crush. She had a new life
After a few years of dating, they moved in with one another. My grandmother left the house my parents gave her, left the yard I designed for her full of blooming wonders around each corner for a new found love. I understand why, all of the other grand kids understand why, but her children not so much. Sure she has been single for most of her adult life, she married as a teenager and widowed before she could bat an eye. She has been retired for sometime now and her checks she receives from the government keep getting smaller and smaller for one to survive on. With her moving in with her man, they could survive the dwindling economy they are forced to deal with, again. Her children see it as two people not married.
Marriage from what I can gather in my short 30 years is a life long commitment. At what age should "Christians" quit judging those who live together without being married. According to 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, one should marry if they can not resist the temptation of immorality. At what point can two people well past the prime of the temptation of immorality not live together? I am for one relieved that my grandmother doesn't live alone.
The elderly woman who passed away lived alone. Living alone is not always bad, but when you look at the odds of it when you are in your 80's the odds are in Gods hand. On Thursday just before noon, county officers dusted the snow off of her frozen body and identified the body. Allegedly, she was found lying next to a straw trailer in the neighbors field frozen in memories.
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