Mountain Tops

This New Year has found my focus on the mountains that I dearly love. Mike and I  saw some beautiful sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway this fall and the mountains are always beautiful where we live everyday. I did a little hike up to Rough Ridge on one of the trips and it touched my heart deeply. I did a painting for Cristy Dunn's birthday and one for the Center of the Art's Heart of the Mountain Show "Resilience" coming in February.
I wrote this for her and me and anyone who finds it to be true...

Resilience, the Heart of the Mountains

 The Ascent-The journey up is challenging and rocky. It requires strength and determination. There is a level of excitement, anticipation and wonder. The adventure is wonderful and a beautiful pathway to hold in your heart always. It gives you strength and builds your confidence.

The Summit- The mountain top is beautiful, awe inspiring and nourishment for the soul. There is a feeling of victory, accomplishment and renewed strength. The beauty and sense of awe are yours to own forever in memory and in your heart.

The Descent-The journey down is difficult, rocky and holds the danger of falling. It requires strength, stability and the use of knowledge and wisdom gained along the pathways traveled in the past. The journey down has much beauty to behold and is a time to take pleasure in the moments and enjoy the beauty. This pathway is a sacred place to hold in your heart forever.

The Vale-the bottom of the mountain, the foundation and home is a place to relish in the growth you have made, beauty you have seen, the strength that has grown inside you, the renewed zest for life and optimism and the level of confidence you have attained. It is a place of renewal, strength, faith, hope and joy. It is not the end of your journey but is truly the beginning.
 Temple Reece
2019
 
After writing this and giving it to Cristy, I was thinking about the "little rock church in the vale" where I grew up in Elk Mills. ( You will see it in my paintings slideshow) I saw a fb post the same day by Kelley St Germain about "going to Church"..he was on White Top Mountain...Amen.
The wonderful thing is that God is just as close to us in the Vale as he is on
the Mountain Tops.