This past week, I journeyed back to Georgia for a Celebration weekend of my Dad's life and did something I had not done in a very long time, I spend some time in the town where I grew up in and realized some things...
Even sleepy, quiet Southern towns change and grow and Pine Mountain, Georgia is no exception. Some things I recognized right off the bat, others I did not remember at all, and most shockingly, there were some that had been added since I left......Isn't weird that we think our childhood haunts will never change?
A bit of my personal history, from the time I was 6 to 13, I lived in Pine Mountain. It was the first place I had lived for over a year and a half. There is a part of me that still considers it home. The years there were ones of my childhood, before teenage rebellion and change started. I have a lot of happy memories of that time....
My Dad was born in Pine Mountain, so his family history is there too... During my childhood years, he worked for Callaway Gardens, which more information and history can be found
here, so Callaway became my playground.
Every summer, I LIVED at the Beach...but I guess I better explain how landlocked west central Georgia has a beach. It is a man made lake that they trucked sand in and made beaches on the shore.
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| I'm probably the only person to ever capture humidity in a photo...my camera was having a hissy fit and kept fogging up... |
Walking down the grassy area to the beach, I had a Child's Memory versus my Adult View moment. I SWEAR to you the grassy area was longer.....I guess it was just my shorter height and child perspective that made me remember it that way. It was a weird shift to see it as it really is.
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| a view of Robin Lake Beach at Callaway Gardens |
As I strolled along the beach, for a quick visit, and to get some sand for my sand bottle, I was bombarded with memories that I had not thought of in YEARS..friends, first crushes, events, you name it came back to me.
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| The WaterSki Pavilion at the Beach |
One memory that immediately came to mind was the day I learned to water ski on this lake. When I was growing up, there was a waterski show every afternoon at the Beach and the performers taught lessons. On Junior skis and with a very cute instructor, I found balance on skis and got up for the first time.
I bet you are wondering why for a resort named Callaway Gardens, I have not even mentioned the gardens...It's another Child's Memory vs Adult's View thing. The beach was my playground, as a kid, and where if I had my choice I would go. The gardens were for behaving and walking slowly, not so much fun for an adventurous kid. As an adult, however, and especially on HOT, HOT, HUMID days, the garden is where I chose to go...
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| for the beautiful colors |
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| for the variety |
And what I began to realize was even in the calm and quiet, you can still find whimsy and laughter....
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| A Lion.... |
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| And his Tamer.... |
And fun and adventure....but also enjoy the peace....
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| The Chapel at Callaway Gardens |
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| The amazing stained glass windows |
In the Chapel, I had my most profound Child's Memory vs. Adult's View moment. Along the side walls, not pictured, are more stained glass panels. I was immediately drawn to them....
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| and noticed details I had never seen before.... |
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| Nature was infused into the glass.... |
The small details that make up the bigger picture are beautiful and taking time to realize they are there and a part of the bigger picture gives you a better understanding of the whole.
I'm glad I got to go back for a day to get this new view and bring together my Childhood Memories with my View as an Adult. My only regret is that I did not get to see everyone from my memories.....
Appreciating both perspectives..
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