My husband’s grandparents blessed us with a beautiful piece of property that our family calls, “The Bottoms.” Located down a dirt road in northern Banks County, the land, with its beautiful bottom land, mountain creek, trees and fishing pond, is an example of God’s handiwork.
Throughout the years, it has provided many things for the Buford Dalton family, many of which are intangible. Cotton and other crops were grown to provide for the family. Timber was harvested and part of the original property sold to send a successful son to Georgia Tech in the early 1950’s, a time when many in that area were unable to finish high school much less have an opportunity to attend college. Throughout the generations, the land has also offered friends and family a place to hunt, fish and relax. For my family, the intangible rewards of the land have provided many blessings. The property has become a sanctuary and place of escape for us, especially my husband.
In 2010 our world was shattered with the death of our son. It is said that the pain of losing a child is so great the English language has no name for the parents left behind. Spouses who lose a partner are called widows or widowers. Children who lose parents are referred to as orphans, but there is no name for parents who lose a child. There are many descriptions, but no name. There are also no adequate words to describe the pain; no words have been formed that completely describe its magnitude. In an attempt to deal with the pain, parents handle their grief in many ways. We are no different.
For my husband, caring for our son’s rescued dog has provided purpose and therapy. Each day he loads her up and heads for “The Bottoms.” The isolation and openness give the dog a chance to run and play. The daily ritual gives my husband a quiet place to pray and contemplate the events of the day. He feels close to our son there because it is a place they often visited together.
On a recent walk, my husband, having a particularly hard day, needed reassurance that our son was at peace. He is a man of great faith, but sometimes the clouds of doubt drift in. In the middle of a tree-lined trail, he cried out to God and Jonathan, our son, for the assurance he desperately needed. Alone and desperate, he pleaded with God to calm his mind and relieve his doubts.
Today, a few weeks later, he received his answer. On an early morning walk, he found himself in a spot close to the place where he had recently pleaded for help. Just up ahead he noticed something that looked unusual – a very light-colored leaf much different from the other leaves around it. On further inspection, he realized that it wasn’t a leaf at all but a note. Smeared and weather tattered, the handwritten note read, “No More Tears In Heaven.”
We have no idea how the note found its way to this remote spot in the middle of the woods. Our minds cannot comprehend the how, but our hearts know the why. We know that God, as He always does, answered the prayer of one of His own and sent a reminder that He is still in control and all is well with His children!
