My thoughts often time take me back to places I have been, and things I have seen, things that seem to stand out above the rest, special things. I believe that there is a place in our minds made just for these special memories. Its way back in the back, over in the corner some where, padlocked and secure. It is full of the most treasured memories, and I like to go there at times to visit and pull out a few of them to relive.
One memory that I find in there was on our honeymoon. Driving over a mountain pass at Rocky Mountain National Park, we were up at around the ten thousand foot level when we came by a roadside pull off. We pulled in to it because Mama had noticed a man there feeding some begging birds. We turned off the car and got out and watched him. He was standing there with birds sitting on his head and shoulders, and a flock flying around him waiting for their turn to perch. Mama noticed that he was feeding the birds peanuts, and she went to the car to get some that she had to feed them also. I watched her for awhile sitting there on a rock enjoying her self with the birds. She always enjoyed this sort of thing and was content in what she was doing.
I turned to look around and I saw a path leading through some trees and decided to walk down it to see where it went. It wasn’t far that this path led to a ridge out on the side of this mountain. I stood there and looked at what had to be the most spectacular view I had ever seen. I was standing out on this ridge at ten thousand feet looking down into a massive valley that was a solid carpet of dark green pines. On the other side of the valley filling the horizon stood a majestic snow capped peak. It was a powerful looking mountain as it proudly stood there with the evening sun casting long shadows across it from the jagged rocks that adorned it. Though its snowy peak was five miles away, it looked as though you could just reach out and touch it. The air was crystal clear and the sky a vivid blue, decorated with high wispy clouds arranged in a way that no artist could possibly recreate. As I stood on that ridge in the cool evening breeze, a verse that I had read from the bible came to mind. It say’s “ Be still, and know that I am God “, and as I quietly stood there on that ridge I suddenly knew what that verse was saying. It is memories like this that I keep hidden there in that place in my mind.
Another is a late October afternoon at Walnut Point State Park. It was our last camping weekend of the year and we were leaving to go home. However we had a family ritual that before we left we would stop at Judy’s snack stand for an ice cream. Judy was a sweet lady that sold food and treats from this little stand inside the park. She added a lot of pleasure to our weekends there. We were sitting there eating our ice cream, and when I finished I decided to walk down to the lake to take a last look before we left. I got down to the lake and walked out onto a point and my eyes fell upon another one of those moments that I keep locked away in my mind.
The setting sun was shining on a shimmering curtain of golden leaves that filled the trees standing across the lake that was perfectly calm and painted with their reflection. It was so beautiful and perfect that it seemed to make it hard to turn and look away. My main goal while being here camping on this weekend was to take pictures of the autumn leaves. I wanted to go to the car to get my camera, but I was afraid of missing a single moment of what nature was unfolding here. It then came to me that the camera hasn’t been made that could capture the full beauty of this event that was taking place, so I just stood there at the edge of that lake, took it all in, and kept it for myself. When the sun went down it took the beauty of the moment over the horizon with it, and I went back to the car and we left. There are so many treasures in my little room.
And then there is an evening on May 3rd of 1981. A father going in to an intensive care unit to get aquatinted with his newborn son. He came a month early and was having a little trouble with his lungs but they said that he would be fine. I walked up to him lying in his bed with several monitors attached to him. As I watched him his nurse said “Its ok, you can touch him”. I slipped my hands under his little shoulders and head and just lifted the upper half of him up off the bed. No words can describe what I was feeling as I looked into the tiny face of this new little man, knowing that I had a part in making him.
These are but just a few of the memories that I put away into what I refer to as “that special place” in my mind. Special memories that are much too valuable to have unlocked for fear that they may be forgotten or lost. Or perhaps a personal memory that may have been selfishly put away just for yourself. I believe that everyone has a special place like this. I visit mine often, and relive the memories hidden in there.
Such a peaceful gorgeous story. there is an artist that can paint the picture for our minds to see and the pictures that you have painted here are so peaceful and brethtaking. Thank you so much Jack, I can even see the tears you didn't mention as you held your son. Beautiful family you have there. This is such a wonderful story. I'll have to take this one to my library and read again and again. xo
Reviewed by Janice (Jan) Jarnagin
10/23/2002
Breathtakingly beautiful. The pictures you draw with your words are so beautiful. I enjoyed this very much. It took me away for a while. Nice...
Many smiles,
Janice
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
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