A possible coincedence didn't have the ending I was expecting.
I was notified via email that an musician/author that I have followed for years was planning to have a book release hike on the exact day I would happen to be in Nashville. I emailed the author with a glimmer of hope that there was a small chance that my whimsical dream could come true and maybe I could still get my hands on a book even thought I coudn't be there until two hours after the hike. To my shock, the author replied and mentioned he could leave a book for me to find. uhm, yes. A hike at a lake with an actual real live treasure hunt. A literary lake treasure hunt, if you will. I'm down.
To spare you the details of the traffic, coffee and lack of parking... I'll just say that I didn't make it at the time that I said I could. Apparently, driving in Nashville is different than driving in Southeastern Kentucky. 2.8 miles can mean 30 or more minutes. I finally made it to the lake, found parking and looked and looked and looked some more. I looked long enough to where I thought, this is a little ridiculous. Are you looking for a book that may not have even been left or an immunity idol?
As I walked and started to look up (instead of in all the places Jeff would have hidden a Beware Advantage), I started to notice the people, smiles, the dappled sun light, the lake, the flowers and then the three young deer. What a gift. To look up and be quiet enough to take in the treasures all around.
Isn't that the way things are? I can go looking for the treasure I think I want to find and then leave with something completely different and even more precious: time with friends, time in nature, the sun shining at the perfect moment to make the trail appear magical.
On this same trip, I also went back to a city where we both lived before we were married. The time in life with late nights, no children, less responsibilities and friends a plenty. As I drove through the city with new buildings, new parks, new faces, I was reminded of a line from Jayber Crowe when he talks about the changes in Port William, "And so there would always be more to remember that could no longer be seen."
I remembered a slower city, but more than that, I recalled the faces of dear friends. The people made the place. After driving many miles, I came home to the early evenings, the children, the responsiblities and the people. The ones that make this current place special. The community we've been given. The treasure was also waiting on me in my small town.
We hope that you can BE always noticing the treasure around you.
These photos were taken at Radnor Lake. If you can find a parking spot, it is a lovely place to visit. Definitely make a plan B because at 10:30 on a Friday parking was non-existent.
On a leathercraft note, Ben did make a new workbench that is going to be perfect for belt making! We gave it a test run at our Octoberfest. It was a quick process to measure a customer and then cut the belt blank to length. We will be having another local DIY Belt event in a December. Details to come!
