Our Saturday outing started with a drive down I-64 East, where the first hints of fall color were on display.
On this beautiful October morning as we drove past previously green fields where combines were now harvesting dusty brown cornstalks, I reflected on how our lives are like seasons, too. Blessed to have reached our metaphoric “Autumn” years, Wayne and I–like most people our age–have experienced love and losses, joys and sorrows, health and illness, and many of the other beautiful/terrible things that life has to offer. Who we were in our early years (which we didn’t share), has allowed us to become who we are now, and one can hope that we’ve gained a bit more compassion, wisdom, and peace along the way. Perhaps we’ve en-lightened up some, too. 🙂
So with these thoughts in mind, we reached our designated meeting place. A few minutes later, Kate arrived.
Sweethearts in the late 60s, their lives had ultimately taken them in different directions. They met again in the 1980s, when Kate (with her husband and young children) and Wayne (with a girlfriend, who would later become his wife) got together for dinner. Their relationship–and the “season” of their lives–had changed, but their underlying friendship remained.
And so after nearly 35 years–in a relationship spanning close to 50 years!–here they were again, and the smiles tell it all! As we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at a gourmet market, there was so much laughter, so many memories shared, and so many stories told–both old and new. And just as old friendships were reaffirmed, new ones were made; it was a truly delightful morning. 🙂
With hugs and kisses all around, we finally said our fond goodbyes–“until the next time.” Still smiling from this sweet reunion, Wayne and I decided to make a day of it by visiting another old “friend,” the James River.
Due to the late summer/early fall drought, the water level was extremely low. We could see so much more of the river banks, and rocks that were usually hidden below the surface were in plain view.
The nearby Hardware River was even lower….
We drove further west on Rt. 6 to see how the James looked in the town of Scottsville.
Wow, we knew it was low, but seeing someone actually wading across it was just crazy!
We can always find things to photograph:
That said, I’m not quite sure what this was about….
Finally it was time to head home, after a day well spent.
Thankful for the friends and experiences that continue to enrich and shape our lives, we know the truth of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous quote: “Life is a journey, not a destination.”