Looking Back ...While Going Forward: ~The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go~ John Muir

When Fall begins it's lofty descent, I get this yearning inside of me to head for the hills. Living in East Tennessee I do not have to travel far to reach the hills, the mountains, the rushing rivers and the peaceful valley's that have been so thankfully preserved by some wise senior statesmen for future generations. Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Nature always wears the color of the spirit" and the changing of the seasons does effect my spirit both outwardly and inwardly.

Sunday I was in Norris, Tennessee to be a part of a 5K run/walk for MAW's Cause. The layout for the race was centered around and through the small community of Norris. Part of the course was on Dairy Pond Road which is long and winding and hilly. I have driven that road many times over the years, and walked on parts of it but mostly it has been taken by car. I am not known for my athleticism. I know my limitations, even though my husband, our son, our daughter, and now our grandson's have wonderful athletic abilities, they did not get that from me. I watched as the large crowd of participants, many with young children in tow, set out on the race, it took me back to years long ago when Curt and I were first establishing ourselves as young marrieds and had been given the opportunity through TVA to live and work and raise our young son within those tree laden hills of Norris. Recalling the many times we had participated in events to raise money for a need or a cause within the community or through the church we attended, or through a work related charity, those were special years to be a part of. The circle of life then seemed slow, steady and for certain while we were secure and content to just be...We did not get to remain in Norris, as so many of our friends did, Curt's work world had other plans for our family so we picked up and moved around the Tennessee Valley. Ironic really because I influenced Curt to get out of the Air Force, where we had met, wanting to settled down and form roots. The roots did come after many moves later but only after we got to know and call home many of the small communities within the Tennessee Valley, teaching us to look to one another, and the friends that we met along the way for encouragement when we encountered rough waters.

When we were living in Rogersville, Tennessee, Curt was assigned to the TVA Phipps Bend Nuclear Plant Construction Site, in Church Hill, Tennessee. While living there, we were blessed to become a part of The Rogersville United Methodist Church which helped us to forge ties and relationships within that community which created several life long friendship's. The years spent in Rogersville were where I first felt like I was finally home. Not long after we moved there the church planned a day trip to Cades Cove in Townsend, Tennessee to help raise money for the youth of our church who were working towards a mission trip that summer. The plan was to bicycle around the 11 mile loop at Cades Cove and for each mile you cycled per person it raised a certain amount of dollars for the mission trip. Well of course the Lane's were in, we did not have bicycle's other then Chris's,

Christopher Todd Lane on his red bike 6 years old

so one of the generous church members offered us a tandem bike with a seat on the back for baby Amy. So we loaded up our bikes in trucks early on a Sunday morning left Rogersville, stopped in Wears Valley to attend a small Methodist Church service, then off we went to enjoy a beautiful fall day at 'The Cove'. While driving the cove has problems of its own, because of a narrow road and everyone is stopping and gawking at 'The Cove' nature's and animal's like deer and bears and other wildlife, but riding a bicycle built for two, or in our case three, plus a six year old bicyclist wobbling his way up and down the small winding roads of the cove, did not make a day of leisure for me. I loved my husband dearly but riding a tandem with him just about changed our relationship permanently! I enjoyed the Dr. Dolittle stories and the 'Push me Pull me Llama, and the memories of this wonderful family, church inspired, fund raising day in 'The Cove', with Curt, Linda, Chris and Amy all together, on a tandem bike was a push me- pull me experience of grand proportions that should of and could of been on You-tube now-a-days. We would have had so many 'Hilarious' likes that we could have raised enough funds to help many programs go forward. Although this story is now funny, then it was the most challenging family athletic event we had ever participated in and it was a very long day. We finally made it around the loop just as it was getting dusky dark, in time for hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and sandwiches which tasted like manna from heaven. After we filled our bellies, we loaded up our bikes and climbed on the wagon for a hayride around 'The Cove', we shared our days experience with one another, laughing as our church friends chuckled and shared their joy of watching The Lane family maneuver the 11 mile journey, watching our expressions and antics and frustrations and then the plain old giddiness that took over when we were near the end. Oh my goodness the lessons we learned that day were priceless in the building of family unity, forbearance, trust, and love for one another. So when I say the 'Mountain are calling and I must go, they are words of truth with meaning forged within me over 38 years ago, the Cades Cove area holds a kinship within me and it calls me back every fall season...saying it is time to come, to renew and refresh your soul...and so I go...and I pause and reflect and remember the sacred shared times of those precious journey's to the mountains, with family, friends and now although I go alone, I carry with me gentle spirits and memories as I say thank you LORD for giving me, your humble child and servant, so many opportunities to take in the glory of your world.
Reminding us that we must make the most of today, because tomorrow is not promised, but if we live this day to it's fullest, then we have done our best.