River Bond

Once upon a time, my Daddy gave me a very fine gift.  He wrapped it in pine needles, sandy soil, deer moss and tree bark.  20 acres situated on the Ochlockonee River deep inside the Apalachicola National Forest. 

When I was growing up, he'd take me fishing there.  He told me when he was a boy, he would dig up arrowheads and pieces of pottery and skip them like stones across the water.  Later when he was more than a boy, he would keep them instead of giving them to the river.  On and underneath its floor lies a whole lot of artifacts, courtesy of my father.  

Today I took my two sons there and they were excited to go.  Knowing this land would be spilt between them one day, my oldest was making plans on the way there to build two cabins.  One for himself and one for his little brother.  The older one is a country boy at heart, in spite of being raised in the city, but the younger one prefers a more crowded and less quiet environment. Car Mechanic vs. Poet.   The property welcomed them both and I felt with every step, the land underneath their feet was soaking into their souls way more than it ever did mine.

We walked through thick brush until we came upon a deer stand.  Of course they wanted to climb up, up, up to explore inside but I wouldn't allow it.  At one time, it had an "elevator" that would take you right up to the top but it's cables and counter weights have lain on the ground for a long time.  Broken glass from the windows had fallen near by. 

"I guess you could say it's a real fixer-upper", one of them said, both of them laughing.  Something tells me they'll bond over doing this one day.

  

And then we wondered, did this fellow die right here or did a bear or coyote drag him from his death spot to eat him out of house and home?

We saw plenty of wild animal tracks and more than a few banana spiders.  Many tunnels.  Many nests.  Many sounds of scurrying natives hoping to go unnoticed.

 

Being here is timeless for me.  Worries of times we're living in now wash away with tea colored water and a peaceful and soothing layer of hope for the future settles over me.  Here with what I gave life to, watching them soak it in, knowing they have roots here too.  

...

The river was still today.  It was hot without even a hint of a breeze and the sky was full of haze.  Didn't matter though, it was perfect anyway.

I hope they feel connected to it now. 

It was my Daddy's. 

It is mine. 

But mostly and all too soon, it will be theirs.