What could be more fun than jumping in the leaves? Jumping in the leaves on a trampoline! This has been one of the most enjoyable fall seasons in my memory. The colors have been so bright & have lingered, due to the lack of wind to blow all the leaves away. Yes I said "lack" of wind. But that all came to an end yesterday. 
There are still a few leaves holding on but for the most part they have blown away in the wind. It is similiar to our memories I think. Since I moved to this little town, almost 17 years ago, I have been impressed with all the fun memories that people have of growing up in this place. Listening to them made me wish I had grown up here. A place where a kid can be a kid. Time has kind of stood still here in alot of ways. It's not uncommon for me to look out my back door & see my son Niclaas in the back field carrying his BB gun or to hear on a quiet afternoon the boom of my nephew Justin's potatoe gun. Kids here still load up & head out to the badlands to roll some tires & it's not hard to spot a tree house or a fort of some kind. This past Halloween some teenagers I know decided to go out to the cemetery to try & scare themselves, but it's hard to get scared in a place where you've regularly chopped weeds & have helped in a few eagle scout projects. I don't think anyone who grows up here realizes just how unique it is until they leave & find out that the rest of the world isn't like Joe City. My daughter Annelie used to tell me that she never wanted to leave here but my kids are growing & I feel that some things will come to an end. My daughter will go to college in two & a half years & everytime I think about it I get teary eyed & I start to feel a little anxious. I enjoy my kids so much, they are my joy. Watching them grow up has been a great blessing to me. I've been there for it all, we've made some great memories & I will hold onto them with all my heart & the winds of this life will not blow them away.
To my kids I want to say, take your memories & your light, use them to bless others around you & spread a little Joe City around.
"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love becomes a part of us".
Helen Keller
Such a good post! I love your fall photos. Again, it lets me see a little piece of home and I can hardly wait to come back for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that Annelie will be in college that soon! Where did time go? Holy cow.
I live across the street and didn't do the math that Dolly would be graduating that soon! This post is really, really great. Living next to you guys has really blessed our lives. I don't think you'll ever know how much. If Grandma hadn't just remodled our little trailer, I think we'd ask her if she'd just let us take it out and build a little house right here. We have loved it!!!!
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