Great Smokey Mountains

” It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye” The Little Prince

Cades Cove is a magical place..I happened upon it while trolling some folks on Instagram.I saw a photo of them in this place so I started to look further. My partner and I traveled there last fall for the first time. A short 4+ hours into middle TN and we were there. It is a National Park now but but was a small community of families back in the 1830’s. At it’s most populated over the years it reached 500 people. A couple of churches, Baptist and Methodists. The families were born and some died and are buried on the land. The theological beliefs of the folks in Middle TN has not changed much. We saw the Trump signs plastered to fronts of houses along the way.

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• Dan Lawsons Place
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It is comprised on an 11 mile loop with only 2 connecting roads being Hyatt and Sparks Lane named for some of the families. There are the Oliver’s,Shields,Dan Lawson’s Place along with the Tiptons to name but a few. We would drive by and visit as if we knew the folks who once lived there. We talked of how life must have been compared to now.It was much more difficult back then she said but in a totally different way then we have it . Not sure which I prefer to be honest. The work was harder but life was so much simpler. I would venture to think since I have insane interest in the Amish and Hasidic I would probably have preferred that life to this. I was never afraid of hard work but the simplicity is something I think a lot of us yearn for in these times. Simplicity in everyday life, our careers, friendships, love and every other aspect of the high stressed world we live in. When you are there it is quiet and peaceful for the most part, let us not forget there are people… People complicate everything.

The animals are spot on with the simplicity of life in the mountains. Momma bears teaching their cubs to climb trees to give them some mommy time. No, not wine time but berry time.Time to pick berries for nourishment. She teaches them at a tender age to climb the trees to the highest bows to play, nap but most of all stay safe while she has some alone time. When she is ready she calls them down to nurse then off they go to do whatever bears do all day. Bucks and deer go off separately to eat as well.They can also be found gently bathing each other. I know they are communicating but we could not hear them only watch as they follow suite onto the next run into the woods. The horses frolicked about running, rolling around and just standing around looking regal and majestic while the wild turkey keep running about to keep from becoming dinner to the coyote.

Then there are the birds and butterflies. They are all over, flying, fluttering and landing but for a brief moment then back in flight they go. At one point I was standing as butterflies just flew all around me, I never experienced that before. And birds, so many birds. I could not help but think of my sweet friend Sue who is battling a cancer she will not beat. How she loves to bird watch. She, unlike me can identify many. I thought how nice it would be to just plant a chair for her to sit and bird watch all day but knowing all along that will never happen. It made my heart sad .Yes Susan,I finally saw a bluebird…

• Bluebird
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We drove that loop multiple times never really seeing the same thing twice or at least not seeing it the same way each time. The conversation when we talked was wonderful. We talked of life, love, lose even politics. We compared then and now. We talked of how much we enjoyed being there both doing what we loved most. Being creative. We pointed shots out to each other never wanting the other to miss out on a great one. We have different eyes but there the beauty was just the same for both of us. We drove for hours, walked, watched, talked some more. We even got caught in a rain storm drenching us both to the bone . We changed into dry clothes in the car while strangers walked by and then drove some more. In the end I remember telling her that the beauty was so immense that our photos and description to others could really not do this place justice. The beauty was not so much in what we saw but what was felt deep in our hearts. It was a feeling. On that loop we knew what was right, what was essential, what love was, what it felt like, what it looked like. It was indescribable. It could only be felt. Then we left and in that COVE so were all of the feelings left. I suppose some things just can’t last forever. I would like to think individually we will both carry those feelings buried ,hidden inside our hearts and will keep those memories, those firsts with each other forever. Only us wherever our roads take us.Not together but always in our hearts, ours and ours alone that can’t be shared with any one else, ever.

If you ever pass thru these parts with someone you love. Friend, partner, family member or alone drive the 11 mile loop of Cades Cove and experience something your heart will truly feel forever…