Memorial Day means different activities for people. It
boasts the beginning of summer with higher temperatures, parades, motorcycle
convoys and barbequing. The real reason we as Americans are able celebrate this
holiday is due to the men, women and their families who have served our country
in the armed forces, and have paid the ultimate price.
I cannot fathom life without my family, so those who have
lost a loved one for our freedom is not taken lightly as we hold those families
in remembrance.
Family is important! Each year, we travel to Roan Mountain
State Park, Tennessee, to take up residence for the weekend in the park’s
cabins. Next year will mark the 30th Garland Family reunion and so
as you can tell, we’ve been sharing this experience with siblings, parents,
aunts, uncles and cousins for quite some time. It’s an amazing view the Smoky
Mountains provide, but the time we spend as a family is the best!
Away from cellphone signal and Internet connection, we
literally “unplug” from our busy schedules to do fun outdoor activities,
cookout and yes … smores!
Why Tennessee? To make a long story short, my maternal
grandmother was born on the Roan along with 5 other siblings. Two boys and four
girls, in pairs were split up once her mother passed. The [oldest children]
boys stayed on the Roan with my great grandfather, the two middle children were
sent to an orphanage, and the two youngest girls (this included my grandmother)
were sent to live with an aunt in Ohio.
As the years wore on and the children grew up, they were
only truly familiar with the sibling they were paired with after leaving Roan
Mountain. My mother, 29 years ago did some searching for her aunts and uncles,
and piece-by-piece, clues were uncovered to where they were finally able to
reunite, thus beginning a family reunion each year.
Documenting these precious moments in time is the real reason I continue to scrapbook. I enjoy reviewing the special moments shared with loved ones.
It’s amazing to think that so long ago, my grandmother
enjoyed a few of her childhood years on the mountain we revisit each year.
There’s a sign hanging on the wall in our cabin that reads, “Living in the
mountains just means you’re a little closer to heaven.” What an awesome
tradition to be able to revisit with my grandmother’s memories of home and feel
her presence on that mountain.
