This Mountain

Ah there it is the symbol of life for me.
The sun rising over the mountain.
This mountain is a place of refuge. Though some nights it is the blackest hole. And even though I live here alone, I am really not alone. Because this mountain is my partner. It is in fact the only family and friend I have remaining in this world.

Oh how I remember the days when I lived here with my Father and Mother. And then beautiful Jacklyn. Oh how I remember Jacklyn sitting in the meadow where I am now watching the sun rise over the mountain.

We were married in this meadow, some 65 years ago. She looked as beautiful that afternoon as she did everyday after that standing in this meadow. I remember the sun radiating off her black hair in the morning sun. Yet as the years went on her hair turned to gray and then white. Yet it always radiated so perfectly I was always spellbound by the scene.

Jacklyn was good to me. We were never able to have children. But she always was happy to stay with despite her dream to have children. Alas she passed away some two years ago today.And so now in place of where we were married lies her earthly body. One day soon I know I will join her there.

This mountain and this very meadow has been with me my whole life. In fact this mountain and meadow have been with me longer than Jacklyn. This mountain has everything that a man could ever need. I know it does not have all the things that those do in the cities. I know that the cities have all that this world could ever offer. Yet I have something better than what all those other people do.

Peace.

Yes pure peace.

You see here I stand in a place so far away from everything. There is no such thing as wires and signals. And without all those conveniences I have never used I have gotten what everyone wants.

Peace.

It is on this mountain where I found peace. I found that within the simple things there is everything. There is love and joy. It is in this meadow on this mountain that I found the only thing worth living for.

Yes that would be God. I found God here as a young man. God created this mountain. He created that sun over there.

Yeah so I could have found God in the city or wherever I could have gone. But I found him here. Actually God found me. Its just that I was to busy for to long to talk to him. He was here all the time.

You wanna know the funny thing?

I would have left this mountain, a long time ago. But it was my pride that kept me here. I could have done something with my life. Jacklyn always told me I should do more than I did. But I was to against trying anything besides living here on this mountain.

Jacklyn used to walk every Sunday to the church at the foot of the mountain. She prodded me for years to come, up until the very day she left this earth. And that preacher, that poor man I always chased him off with my shotgun.

After Jacklyn passed on to be with my Lord. I found her Bible. I guess the only reason I read it was because it was so special to her and I wanted so much to be with her.

It was there that God opened my eyes and brought me to him. I tried to go to that church at the bottom of the mountain, but it got destroyed in the spring flooding last year.

And now its all I can do to walk from the cabin to the meadow everyday. As soon as winter gets here I will be dead like the leaves and the grass. I am not able to get around anymore to hunt or tend the garden. Oh well its better that way I know where I am going.

So when you find this I expect I will be gone home to be with my Lord. That ranger fellow comes by every spring to check up on me. I expect it will be him who finds me. Please bury me in the meadow next to the apple tree, right next to the other grave. You will see it when the snow melts. Oh and if you look under the bed you will find a steal box. Inside there you will find a treasure that some would kill for. Give it to that preacher man at that church at the bottom of the mountain. That way they can build a nice new building. Hopefully they can help other people that are as stubborn as this old fool.

Regards,

-Ben