Life's map is filled with winding roads both literally and figuratively. On those paths oft traveled you can anticipate what will be seen around the next bend. On those less traveled, each hairpin curve seems to have a surprise waiting as the road straightens itself. So is life. The routines of each day do little to stir the imagination. New and different experiences allow you to move back and forth on life's time line with soulful thought.
Over the past three weeks I have been traveling Highway 7 between Arkadelphia and Russellville since accepting a position with River Valley Bank in Russellville and being reunited with former schoolmate and old Hound, James Biggers (Class of 1971). Highway 7 traverses Arkansas south to north from El Dorado to Diamond City on the Missouri border north of Harrison and is a designated Scenic Byway. And majestic scenery abounds along its path. Surely there are several mobile homes with hounds and dogs and hound dogs playing and lounging about in the rocky yards. Abandoned pickup trucks and worn out Chevy Camaros serve some of these modest abodes as yard planters, their engines having given up long ago.
But the big picture is a sight to behold when you let your mind open up to the sheer beauty. The rise and fall of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains along this route offer some breath taking vistas especially around the Nimrod Lake area. The highway pushes itself right through the heart of Hot Springs, a place that holds stories of days when my father plied his trade at the old Southern Club. Hot Springs has long been a familiar destination for friends of horses from Jackson County. Each trip to Oaklawn Park brings a chance meeting with someone from home. Just last weekend, wife Kathryn and I visited the ponies at Oaklawn and enjoyed colorful conversation with "Coach" Butch Duncan, the Tuckerman contingent of Scotty Armstrong, Max Freer, Bob Penix, and most attractive Tuckerman native Betty Millsap. I carried greetings from all back to Roberta Biggers in Russellville.
One hundred miles of Highway 7 from Arkadelphia to Russellville is reflective of life's journey. Arkadelphia has been a stop along that journey that has yielded much happiness, some heartache, and some wonderful relationships. In just a few short weeks Russellville has shown the colors of a welcoming community with open hands of friendship extended. James Biggers offered an invitation to join him at River Valley Bank, a four-year-old bank in a growing community, with the same fun loving attitude I remember from our days together in the halls of Newport High School. Having fun keeps me going.
Littermate Paula Jones teaches accounting at Russellville High School. Paula offered me much inspiration in Mrs. Newell's speech class a few years back. Now that she is a teacher, Paula can surely show me the ropes around Russellville. I know my old high school teachers always new where to find us, but they were intelligent enough not to look. I have rented an apartment in Russellville as a place to hang my hat until Kathi can join me. She is remaining in Arkadelphia while completing her contract with Henderson State University, which runs through the summer.
One hundred miles from Arkadelphia to Russellville up Highway 7 takes about two and a half hours. I could shave off about thirty minutes by traveling on Interstates 30 and 40 via Little Rock, but the twists and turns of Scenic Byway 7 would not be there to remind me of life's journey. Interstate travel is just too sterile and boring. Life is lived and learned on stretches of road like Highway 7 and Highway 14 that runs through Newport, Batesville, Mountain View and Yellville up to the Missouri line near Omaha. Roads with the character of twisting turns, mountainous curves, cliff side views. Roads sporadically tarnished with the ugliness of run down mobile homes, junky yards, road kill.
Life is too often cluttered with things not so beautiful, but for the most part the "ugly" things are passed by quickly and memories of them fade just as fast. The real essence of life is always beyond the unpleasing sights on the side of the road ... views of mountain tops on the horizon, shimmering lakes in the distances, babbling brooks running alongside the country roads, slow moving rivers below bridges new and old, Blue tick hounds basking in the sunshine, visions of new friendships appearing as reflections on the windshield, memories of old friendships everlasting in the rear view mirror.
Periodic stops along life's roadway are opportunities for new experiences and new relationships and every intersection bespeaks a choice to be made. A most interesting observance is that most of life's roads do cross at varying junctions. These "crossroads" exude a sense of direction with one path providing a chance to safely return home and another rendering unknown adventures. While it is comforting to know that "home" constantly awaits me, I seem to be drawn to avenues leading to different and possibly exciting situations. Such attraction could be genetic ... you know, "Papa was a rolling stone; wherever he hung his hat was his home."
This road trip we are all on as life's journey does include the soundtrack. Whether it is provided by the AM radio of our youth, the 8-track tape players that accompanied us in high school, the FM stations that we tuned in to during college, or the cassette and CD players of today, music establishes a reference point for life's experiences. At least it does for me. I wish I were more musically inclined. I never gave Harvey Haley a chance to teach me anything back in Newport High. In retrospect, I'm sure he could have helped me learn to blow a horn of some type. After all, Drew Stewart, Ruth Johnston, Kathy Foley, Paula Jones, Harry Goodyear and some other "crazies" walked away from NHS with music in the air. I would at least like to be able to play "Happy Birthday" for some fellow littermates. Since the last time we "talked, "I know Jenetta Ashley and David Churchman have joined "Club 50." This month, Mike Brand (April 9), Martha Miller (April 21), Mary Wynne Parker (April 26) and Donny Appleton (April 27) will all become eligible for AARP membership, as will I on April 14. Not only has the road been winding, it has been long for some.
Looking back, I see that I have celebrated the end of each decade of my life in a different venue. At ten I was innocently playing around in Newport (of course). Age twenty was stumbled upon in Jonesboro. I crept upon age thirty while in Little Rock. Arkadelphia was the place where I was tackled by age forty. And now age fifty is finding me settling in Russellville - never far from home. There has been some discussion of the Class of 1970 to celebrate a 50th Birthday Party this year. The Fall of the year might be a good time for such a get together. The weather will be cooler, the mosquitoes will be more lethargic, and more of us will have hit the magic mark of 50. Think back to 1968 - age 16 - cruising the Dog 'N' Suds and Jack's Dairy Cup - listening to WLS on the AM radio. John Lennon and Paul McCartney penned a fun song just for us. It is on the "White Album".
"You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday, too -- yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy Birthday to you
Yes, we're going to a party"
Well, about time to return to the winding road. A road I truly enjoy. A parting thought -- when traveling the road, periodically glance into that rear view mirror and catch the image of friends from the past. Hold them in your heart, especially those who have experienced illness and challenging circumstances. I ask that your prayers include Mary Wynne Parker, Cherry Lou Smith, Karen Fortune and Clay Wright's daughter, Carolyn. Just a glimpse in the rear view mirror as you cross over the blue bridge leaving Newport. In May, 1970 as we were stepping out of the shaded comfort of Remmel Park and the school that still sits in its midst, the Beatles last studio album "Let It Be" was finding its way onto our turntables. A cut from that album is "The Long and Winding Road" and it includes these words:
"The long and winding road that leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before
It always leads me here
Leads me to your door"
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before
It always leads me here
Leads me to your door"
I'm Miles from Nowhere ... guess I'll take my time!
joe
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