Looking back...

I've reached a pinnacle in my life and the view from here is, well...somedays pretty nice and some days I look back in the valley that I just climbed out of.  I go through a myriad of emotions when I look back.  When I look back here is a small some of what I see:

Days spent in the hot summer sun, floating in a pool or climbing trees.  Climbing one branch higher just so I could peak over the edge of a nest to see the baby robins and laugh when they screamed out for food.  I also see standing barefoot in the middle of a creek and enjoying the feel of slick sand and smooth pebbles under my feet as the cool water ran over them.  I see hours spent riding motorcycles and camping out while in the company of good friends...almost to the point they were like family.  I also see riding in a canoe in a mountain stream and thinking it was the most wonderful thing in the world and how lucky I was to get to ride in it.  I didn't have to paddle-that was great in itself.  I see visiting national parks from the mountains to the coast and learning about all sorts of fantastic things out of doors.  I see picnics eaten at tables set up on the side of the road and getting to share in a bucket of KFC-I wonder if it's just me but I remember KFC tasting so much better back then.  Hot dogs and ice slushies from Kearney's hot dog stand and bread burgers from Jimmy's BBQ.  Chicken pie suppers (yes-there was alot of good food down in the valley I'm seeing now!) and food cooked on the grill.  Trips to the airport where Dad would buy us each a bottled Coke and a 3 Muskateers bar before taking us "around the pattern" once or twice. 

These are a smidgen-just a few of the things I remember and can see when I look back in that valley.  I know I shouldn't be so preoccupied with the way things were...I should be looking ahead-there's obviously more mountain to climb.  I know I can't turn around and go back into the valley...I've got to keep climbing.  I'm hoping someday I'll look back when I reach that next pinnacle and look back to see things in this valley that make me feel as happy as those that came before.

~Gail