Nothing but a Pile of Rubble

I got Lisa out into the woods. We went up to Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend and drove a bit. The trees are just beginning to hint that leaves will be changing soon … a smidgen of yellow, a pinch of red … but a whole lot of beautiful green as far as you can see.

We ventured into the George Washington National Forest and visited the James River visitor center, examined the remains of a 19th century canal (circa 1850), and walked around Otter Lake. But we also walked some of the Lower Otter Creek Overlook. This is where we came across the remains of a cabin, an old homestead that is nothing now but a pile of rubble. It is possibly dating to the 18th century.

This rubble is hidden; and when the trees are full of foliage, you might walk right by it without even being aware of its presence. Someone once lived here. They worked hard to gather heavy rocks to line the foundation and walls. They farmed, they hunted, and they walked around the same lake we were now walking around. They had dreams, plans, and a vision to build something and make a living. They may have even died here.

Who were they? What were their dreams? Did they leave any relatives to carry on the legacy? There was no record (from what I saw) and nothing on the map except ‘old cabin remains’. But, someone once called this home.

Everything in our lives is temporary. Things come, things go. In the end, we can’t take anything with us and yet we still struggle to gather things around us. This is not trying to get us despondent but to remind us there is something beyond what we see in the here and now.

But we do live in the here and now, so how are we then to live? Glorify God, enjoy Him and His creation, and cherish those around you as well.

It was a beautiful walk. I appreciated the beauty of creation. And I was with a beautiful woman. A great day.