Post by hrh on Oct 3, 2006 22:32:09 GMT -5
As I grow older and those thoughts of my own mortality come around, I find myself becoming a more spiritual person. I was not brought up in a religious home, nor have I followed an organized church for much of my life. My beliefs have come to me over the years in all the ways that God has given me to see, feel and live how He wants me to live. Of course, I am a human and tend to want to take control of things from time to time and God has a way of allowing me to do so, so that I can really know the path he chooses for me. I want to share a little story from a week or so ago.
My Mother passed away on Sept. the 19'th of this year. She had suffered from Alzheimer's for the past 10 years or so but really bad for the last three. The times I had seen her and talked with her over the last few years were trying at best. Mom didn't know me or recognize anyone else in the family. I flew to Texas and paid my respects knowing she was in Heaven and no longer suffering. I really didn't feel like hunting the opener here in Tenn. but my wife, (and I have a great one) told me to go, She said, "you will heal more in those mountains than anywhere else". (She knows me pretty well too)I hunted that Saturday and nearly drowned it rained so hard. I don't think my heart was in it any way but I was able to reflect on the past when I was a young boy still at home. The good times , when you don't have the responsibilities of being a grownup. I also grieved there in the woods. I grieved for the time lost, never to be regained. Again, I felt God lift the burden from me. I didn't plan on hunting that Sunday, the weather looked just as bad. I never set the alarm. Bang, three a.m. I'm wide awake. I checked the weather on line (it was still raining) and saw we had a break coming. I got dressed, kissed the wife, grabbed my gear and off I went. The rain slowed to a drizzle as I trudged up the mountain and finally stopped. Kind of hard to tell though with it falling from the trees. Not a breath of air was moving as I climbed the tree and got settled in. As I noticed the sky lightening I realized there was not a cloud to be seen. I want to tell you that when the sun peeked over the mountains and shone through the forest it was the most amazing sight I had ever seen in all my years in the outdoors. The water hanging on the leaves and branches literally exploded with every color of the rainbow, reds, blue, green, yellow. Everywhere I looked my eyes were dazzled with the clarity and beauty of those moments when this occurred. I know if anyone had come up on me seeing me sitting there with my mouth hung open just totally blown away by the beauty of that morning they would have thought I was plumb out of my mind. It seemed as though it would last forever or I would likely be blinded by the absolute beauty of that moment but, as quickly as it came, it was gone. But, a peace I have never felt entered my soul and I knew my Mother was really and truly OK once again. I sat there for about another half hour but I knew, I was supposed to be at home with my Wife and son for that day. I came on down, packed all my gear and as I headed down the mountain, a gentler rain once again started to fall. I never noticed that the clouds had returned.
Thank you all for allowing me to post this tribute here to God and to my Mother as well.
Ross
My Mother passed away on Sept. the 19'th of this year. She had suffered from Alzheimer's for the past 10 years or so but really bad for the last three. The times I had seen her and talked with her over the last few years were trying at best. Mom didn't know me or recognize anyone else in the family. I flew to Texas and paid my respects knowing she was in Heaven and no longer suffering. I really didn't feel like hunting the opener here in Tenn. but my wife, (and I have a great one) told me to go, She said, "you will heal more in those mountains than anywhere else". (She knows me pretty well too)I hunted that Saturday and nearly drowned it rained so hard. I don't think my heart was in it any way but I was able to reflect on the past when I was a young boy still at home. The good times , when you don't have the responsibilities of being a grownup. I also grieved there in the woods. I grieved for the time lost, never to be regained. Again, I felt God lift the burden from me. I didn't plan on hunting that Sunday, the weather looked just as bad. I never set the alarm. Bang, three a.m. I'm wide awake. I checked the weather on line (it was still raining) and saw we had a break coming. I got dressed, kissed the wife, grabbed my gear and off I went. The rain slowed to a drizzle as I trudged up the mountain and finally stopped. Kind of hard to tell though with it falling from the trees. Not a breath of air was moving as I climbed the tree and got settled in. As I noticed the sky lightening I realized there was not a cloud to be seen. I want to tell you that when the sun peeked over the mountains and shone through the forest it was the most amazing sight I had ever seen in all my years in the outdoors. The water hanging on the leaves and branches literally exploded with every color of the rainbow, reds, blue, green, yellow. Everywhere I looked my eyes were dazzled with the clarity and beauty of those moments when this occurred. I know if anyone had come up on me seeing me sitting there with my mouth hung open just totally blown away by the beauty of that morning they would have thought I was plumb out of my mind. It seemed as though it would last forever or I would likely be blinded by the absolute beauty of that moment but, as quickly as it came, it was gone. But, a peace I have never felt entered my soul and I knew my Mother was really and truly OK once again. I sat there for about another half hour but I knew, I was supposed to be at home with my Wife and son for that day. I came on down, packed all my gear and as I headed down the mountain, a gentler rain once again started to fall. I never noticed that the clouds had returned.
Thank you all for allowing me to post this tribute here to God and to my Mother as well.
Ross
