A Little Return to My Childhood

I stared at the picture on the computer screen in front of me and was filled with a mix of emotions... A space of open field, a woods of autumn trees, a sky full of clouds, and mountains in the distance. Yes, I knew who had posted the photograph. My reasoning told me it could have been taken anywhere, but my heart knew different. Even without turning around, I knew exactly where it had been taken, even though almost 50 years had passed since I was a little girl standing in that spot.

"Looking at this photo instantly took me back 50 years in time." I wrote, "It wasn't autumn when we stayed in the White Mountains with your family, but I still recognized it right away. I spent quite a bit of time playing alone in the back of the house while my little sisters and your little daughters played closer to the adults. I am amazed at how vivid the memories are all these years later."

Tomorrow a fifty year old dream will begin to come true as I travel back to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to meet the only living adult left from my time there as a child. My parents are gone and Al's wife Nancy is gone too, but Al remains and he has invited me to be his guest in the 8-bedroom farmhouse in the mountains.

I haven't made an itinerary. The only set plan we have is to ride the Cog Railway up Mount Washington. I hope the weather cooperates. This week I've begun to think perhaps this trip is part of a reckoning with a younger Martha. There is some unexpected emotion brewing inside and I am looking forward to Jesus healing apiece of my heart that maybe I hadn't realized was broken. I'm also looking forward to some fun and adventure. I'm "just a little" excited.