Guest blog by Julie Rivera, Julie Rivera Photography
I find myself saying it more than I mean to. “Well, back in Virginia, we used to…” as though where I am now is inferior to where I came from. Which is funny, because Virginia was inferior to the place before it, Texas, just two years ago. I fall into the trap every move: I lament the loss of what I knew while I keep my heart closed towards my new home.
We moved to Columbus from Lexington, Virginia, a small town nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. To say fall is spectacular there is an understatement. I knew I would miss the magnificent splendor of the western Virginia fall colors. Even as I saw the trees here changing to fiery oranges and the sidewalks dusted in autumnal hues, I wished to be in Lexington.
But I am not in Lexington. I am in Columbus, with the FDR State Park just up the road. And it really is quite an impressive place to visit. I nearly missed it this fall–which will most likely be my only fall in Columbus–because I was spending all my time thinking about what I didn’t have and what I wasn’t seeing. Thankfully, my husband opened my eyes and suggested a family outing to enjoy a Sunday afternoon in the woods.
We loaded the girls into the car, along with a few snacks to ward off complaints of “starvation.” We did not have to bring heavy winter coats or boots like we would have needed in Lexington. In fact, my husband and one of my girls were in a short sleeve shirts! We wound our way through some lesser traveled roads, enjoying the scenery, the rolling hills and the…dare I say it…fall foliage on our way to Pine Mountain.
An incredibly pleasant and helpful park ranger pointed us toward a trail she suggested would be easy for little legs. The path was covered in dry, crunchy leaves which prevented the harried squirrels from moving silently through the forest. The tall pines rose high above us, shading some of the smaller, more colorful trees still shedding their leaves in this late fall of the South.
We moved slowly along the trail, noticing fungus and red leaves and holes with innumerable unseen inhabitants. The girls took turns holding the GPS and directing our course. One set of little legs “ran out of energy” and she hitched a ride on Daddy’s shoulders. Perfect walking sticks were selected, handfuls of leaves were thrown into the air. Questions were asked, laughter echoed through the trees, hands were held.
And we just made a memory that will creep into a conversation next year, “Well, back in Columbus…”
Julie Rivera has lived within the military her entire life. First as a dependent of a Navy Supply Corps Officer, next as an active duty Navy Supply Corps Officer, and now as the wife of an Army Artilleryman. She has over seven years experience as a mother and over five years experience as the owner of Julie Rivera Photography. Her children might be among the most chronicled on the planet and she absolutely loves when she has the chance to turn her lens on new families and children. See more of her work on her website at http://www.julieriveraphotography.com.
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