Last summer two of my siblings with their loved ones joined my husband and I at an awesome resort in Crossville, Tennessee. While there, we explored many sights, played miniature golf, and each evening was spent playing cards. During our visit, we enjoyed quality laughter, adventure, and conversations together.
While at the Ozone Falls, we met a charming young couple, Laura and Steve, who were local’s and very familiar with the Falls. They lead us to the point of the Overlook, which was obscure in a wooded area with the pathway to it being unmarked and narrow. We’re thankful for this nice couple, who brought us opportunity to experience the beautiful terrain, see the cliffs, and their rock formations.
Once at the top, we watched the water falling, cascading down onto the rocks, and we heard the laughter of children and their families playing in the pool of water at the bottom. We marveled at God’s creation.
As we traveled that same path back to our cars, my sister asked Laura if there had been any bear sightings. Her response was chilling: “Yes, indeed…. Bears have been seen right where we now stand.” My sister became frightened.
What did I do to make my sister feel at ease in that moment? I told a Bear story!
Some years ago, my brother and my son had been hiking in the woods of Putnam County, West Virginia, when my brother noticed a cave, “Here’s a cave… should we look in it?” And they did. They saw a great big head with two beady eyes looking right at them. Well, they got out of that area as fast as they could.
A few years later, while my husband and I were exploring a wooded area at Black Mountain, North Carolina, he said, “Carin, here’s a cave… should we look in it?” Remembering my son’s cautionary tale, I gave him a resounding “NO!” And we rush out of the woods.
That night at our resort, located at the bottom of Bear Mountain, two huge bears (a mother and her grown son) came into our area, tearing up and making a mess of the trashcans. One, (we know because the paw prints were still there in the morning), had walked over the top of our car, making a hole in the bumper with a claw-nail!
As my story to Laura and my sister ended, we had reached the parking area. My sister had forgotten her worries while paying attention to my tale. Laura paused, “And this is also Black Mountain.”
Confused, I asked, “What?” Laura explained, “We are at the Ozone Falls Overlook, on Black Mountain, in Tennessee!”
There are a few lessons to gleen from these tales:
1. listen to other people’s stories, it might save your life later;
2. don’t be too curious;
3. know something about the residing animals before you go into an unknown wooded area;
4. sometimes you can distract a person from their fears while talking about what they fear; and
5. appreciate the Lord’s hand in your adventures each day.