I Am a Sentimental Old Fool

I can almost hear Grandma Walton saying, "You, old fool," to Grandpa Walton, even after her stroke. Does anyone here remember that episode, when she first returned to the show, and I think that was her first line, "Old fool."

But, today, I realized I am just that sentimental.

You've seen photos of the dirt road where I take my walks. When I was a little girl, I walked that dirt road to see my grandmother. Sometimes, I picked blackberries along the way. Sometimes I picked wild grapes. I always ended up at Granny's house, where I would have a seat in the recliner and ask, "Can I borrow a cup of water?" The water at her house had deposits of iron, and I loved the taste.

Well, the road is changing.

There's a new school being built at the end of the road, and, while our county needs a new school, and I even hope to teach there, I was sad when I watched the land being cleared every afternoon on my walks. Josie-Tatum seems sensitive to the change, too. She recently said, "When I get older, I'm going to have good memories of our walks on this road."

Now, the county is making plans to pave the road. I knew that would happen, and I had come to grips with that, but today I learned of an even further plans...I should have seen them. My daddy received a phone call from an attorney....asking for right of way, planning to use some of the land to pave the road. As I walked today, I grew rather sad.

It's the trees! I looked at all of the trees along the edge of the road on my parents' land. I've walked under those trees for nearly 40 years. Some of them are older than I am. Many of them have shaded my path these years....they are so beautiful. There are pines, live oaks, sycamores, and others I can't name. The landscape will change drastically.

I know my treasures are laid up in heaven. I can quote the scriptures that remind me eternal life is more important than anything this earth has to offer.

But, I'm still a little sad.

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where theives do not break through not steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.