Pathways

A few days ago in one of my posts I complained that I couldn't figure out how to create a link when writing a blog. My blog friend, Cheryl, made it so simple that even I can now create a link. Thank you, Cheryl.


I always try to think of something interesting or different to post to my blog. Usually all I can think of is the current day's events. That translates to nothing exciting or different. For me, that's fine. For my readers - not so. It gets boring, I'm sure. This evening is different. Reading The Captain's blog (posted on Sunday evening) gave me an idea for this evening's post. Has anyone wondered how I came up with "Pathways" as the name for my blog? Being a little self centered, I'm going to assume the answer to that question is, "Yes."


In the summer of 1983, I was on a three week work related trip to Chambersburg, PA. The weeks were full but weekends were long and needed to be filled with something other than gathering data, running regression analysis, watching television re-runs, and other dry boring stuff. On the first weekend I decided to drive to Gettysburg. I had been there a couple of times on previous trips but had pretty much just driven through while looking at the memorials – mostly from a distance. On this particular Saturday the sun was bright and the grass, which had been mown a couple of days earlier, was curing. The fragrance of new mown hay was all around. I had the whole day with nothing rushing me so I decided to walk around the battlefield. My walk took me to Devil’s Den. Devil’s Den is a hill covered with large boulders. It stands out in the landscape. I thought it would be a good place to find a comfortable seat (on one of the boulders) to rest a while. Following a winding pathway that led towards the higher part of the rise, I found a shady place with what appeared to be a stack-rock fence about 3 or 4 feet long between two boulders. It looked comfortable so I decided to sit and rest for a while. The day had been pleasant but as I sat there I began to feel a heavy, sad mood starting to build. This caused me to decide to call it a day and return to my hotel room in Chambersburg. I was about half way down the path when I stopped, looked back and took a picture of the pathway from that vantage point. Before leaving the area I stopped to eat at a little inn and picked up some literature about the Battlefield to read while waiting. Imagine how I felt when I saw a picture of my little stacked rock fence with a note saying that it is believed that the youngest soldier in the Battle of Gettysburg died there. I have always remembered that pathway in vivid detail.


No, there were no unexplained orbs or strange images on the picture when it was developed. It was no more and no less than a beautiful picture. I attach no supernatural significance to the day. What I did bring away from that day was the realization that, no matter the horrors of a particular time or place, peace and beauty can return. If anyone is interested in reading a bit about Devil's Den and the surrounding area click here.