Wonderful Memories

By Brenda van Lier

This morning I took my coffee out to our screened gazebo just a short walk from the side of the house. It is set in the woods. It is a great place to be quiet, reflective, listening to the birds and watching for deer.

As I settled in I could faintly hear our neighbours, several hundred feet away, talking to one another.

I was Immediately transported to our former cottage. This was a place my Grandfather built over 60 years ago & I got to enjoy it every year of my life until 3 years ago. After Grandpa built this little place, he went on to build a much larger one up on the hill for my Aunt who was very artistic. A school teacher during the year, Aunt Ethel came north every summer with other painting friends and in fact ran an artist's school from this beautiful cottage with the large window overlooking the lake. Our home is currently adorned with many of her paintings.

Over the years other cottages were built on the very large piece of property--each owned by one of my Aunts and Uncles.

As a child it was a wonderful place to be---swimming with my girl cousins (I had only brothers at home); playing under the immense Pine Trees; running through the grasses. Once I was stung by a wasp while running about--no fear--I could go to the nearest cottage as I would find one of my mother's sisters there. After I was kindly looked after--baking soda plastered on the bite--I was sent across the way to find my mother.

All these wonderful memories flooded back this morning. And Then I became Very Sad as I remembered the terrible decision I was forced to make 3 years ago.

I could either buy my 2 brothers out and buy this little, 60+ year old place with no drinking water or shower--- or I could pay off our mortgage here and put a new roof on the house. I made the "wise" decision--but oh, how it broke my heart. (Fortunately one of my cousins bought it which helped greatly.)

After a while this morning, God spoke to my heart saying, "But Look at All those Wonderful Memories you Have". I realized just how Blessed I am to have had so many, many years at this wonderful piece of heaven. My husband and I were able to go up there taking our young children. The cottages are now owned by cousins. There are no Aunts any longer. It has seen an evolution of life. It is not the place I remember as a child. Some cottages have been sold outside of the family and now one must be aware of property lines. The little place has become old and not so comfortable any longer---it needs Lots of work. But it will Always be Beautiful within my heart.
I realized sitting in the gazebo that many people NEVER have such a wonderful experience as growing up with a family-compound of cottages.--A place I could count on going to each summer--if not with my family, then with one of my cousins. God has been So Good to me.

I also realized I only need sniff the air; hear the wind in the trees; hear distant conversation; hear a loon & I am whisked right back up there. I have Golden Memories that will ALWAYS be with me.

I have had some very rich experiences in my life--my grandmother giving us girls a bath on Sat. night in the large, tin wash tub on the floor--the water heated over the wood stove; my Aunt Glad tucking me into bed with her daughter Penny & teaching us to say the Prayer: "Now I lay me down to sleep, I Pray the Lord my soul to keep---"; my cousin Cathy walking with me to Sunday School a mile away--the shortest route took us over the train trestle bridge over the river---this frightened me… I made my cousin walk the longer route through town; the train stopping at the edge of the property & the Porter throwing comic books out to the children who ran quickly when the train whistle sounded--sometimes we were even allowed to board the caboose & ride into the nearby station & walk back again with our comics; going in the row boat with an Uncle to the fresh water Spring across the lake--filling the pails with wonderful, clear drinking water; learning to swim in the lake avoiding the open clam shells or blood suckers. Rich, Rich experiences--and I am Thankful.

THANK YOU LORD for helping me to see how very Blessed I have been--how very Blessed I am. Thank you for such Wonderful Memories.