One Senior's Opinion: Reflecting on beauty of nature

The beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a source of joy in my life. When I need to clear my mind, I close my eyes and picture the tall pines, a soft breeze and a view that takes my breath away. I think of gentle spring rains whose diamond-like drops dance on my skin. Yes, I love this place.

The air is sweet, just the scent of trees and wildflowers. As the sun sets, the world on top of the mountain turns gold. I shiver slightly, as I absorb this beauty. Soon the night sky turns black and a million stars shine, for there are no artificial lights here to compete with the brilliance of the stars.

I think of our forefathers who traveled this wilderness trail in search of a piece of land to call their own. I am thankful they settled into the valley below to farm and raise horses. I am grateful to my father's family who built their home in the Shenandoah Valley, allowing me to sit in my home in Bay Village, Ohio, and dream of all that I left behind, knowing a part of this land once belonged to me.