Some gifts are just to get by and to not go without going through the motion of the gift giving process. The holidays are a classic example of how you might ether give a gift or receive a gift that you could really honestly, do without.
Some are simple little things like sweets or cards that are used to celebrate an anniversary or event like a wedding, anniversary or graduation. Once there gone, the gift is forgotten, but not the appreciation of the love and understanding for ones good work or passage into a new stage of life.
Out of all the gifts I have received over my life the one that stands out above all is something that my Parents, and mostly my Mother gave me and our family when I was 10 years old.
That gift was the gift of this town I'm writing from, Dover.
Lost in the shuffle of six children and happy for it, Dover and the beautiful surrounding woodlands became my safe haven for nurturing a wonderful life. I can still remember the smell of the woods as a child first experiencing being alone on what was soon to become familiar trails in a wonderland of wood. It was so different from where we had moved from in Natick on Robin Hood Road near the shore of Lake Cochituate. My new gift had things called 'Peaks" or what my Dad would refer to as "The Mountain"
From Noanet Peak, you can see Boston. At that time one could only see the old John Hancock building and shortly after, the Prudential building. Over time, much more.
Dover and "Peabodys Woods", was our 650 acres of woods in our back yard. We spent hours exploring, swimming, camping, fishing and as any red blooded American boy knows, there's nothing like heaven on earth to raise a little hell.
The smell of smokey boys from the pine fire that kept us warm on those cold winter days in Peabody's Woods, was my Fathers success. I could tell by him never, once, having to ask,"What did you do today?" and just getting the once over glance when we all sat down at the dinner table and said the blessing.
Dover and the surrounding woodland has everything one would ever want. The perfect place for a childhood as well as adulthood We even had our very own Penny Candy store! Surrounded by the Charles River and dotted with about 50 ponds and streams, Dover has has everything you would also ever need.
I was surprised to find out about two years ago, while playing with a mapping software, that our town border is just under 3 miles from Boston. Ask anyone who lives in Dover and I'm sure they will say its far more, It has to be. Right? Its Dover!
Getting into Boston is a little different because the way you need to travel by the roads and bridges crossing the Charles, but for the most part only a half hour into the states capatal.
The older I got, the more I appreciated my gift of Dover. I have met people that told me they were as fortunate to have something of the same, I was sure they did not. Unless of course they were from Dover.
I will always cherish my most wonderful gift. I will always appreciate the special places and beautiful spots discovered as a child with friends and now as time goes on. I will always hold near and dear to my heart the gift that my parents gave our family by moving to Dover. Mostly my Mom's Idea.
Last night at 10pm my Mom passed away. Her last year was hard. She is Im sure, in a better place now and will remain here in Dover next to my Dad.
Thank you Mom for my most Precious and wonderful gift.
The Gift that kept on Giving.
The Union Iron Works
Something Green grows in Dover all year long. Click on the image to make it larger.
Our all time favorite swimming spot. Peabody's Pond.
The view of Boston from the top of the Peak, Click on this to enlarge the view.
The Rock Bench at the top of Noanet Peak
The Cedar at the top of Noanet Peak.
No comments:
Post a Comment