Tomfoolery: Looking Glass Rock

Yesterday morning, just after I laced my hiking shoes, I looked up at the portrait of my mother that hangs above the mantel and fireplace. It's a portrait of her in high school, and one that her parents had in their home in Shorterville, Alabama. Recently, I brought it back from Headland after selecting it as part of my inheritance. Anyway, I looked at this lovely portrait, and spoke to Mother. I said, "I'm going on a long hike today. Watch over me. No, actually, I want you to be with me." A couple of minutes into my hike, for the very first time - and I have been on hikes all throughout this area - I spotted a white squirrel. Yes, a white one. The funny thing is....Brevard, NC is the home of the white squirrel, and they have an annual festival to recognize it. However, these squirrels are actually so rare, the joke Kade and I always had was that, to draw tourists in, this white squirrel "idea" was drawn up by the locals, and someone brings their spray-painted white squirrel out just for that festival, and the money pours in. Again, I had been on numerous, numerous hikes and had never seen one. And on a day that Kade, on her drive back from work, the exact same day, saw a black bear crossing a busy street in Asheville, when I explained what I said out loud to my mother, and then played this video, she was far more amazed by it than she was that bear sighting. I'm the biggest skeptic, and question most things, but what are the chances? Even if it's just a fluke or odd coincidence, I choose to see as a positive message from her. It certainly made me instantly think of her, and made my day even brighter. There was no greater lovers of animals - and squirrels, especially - than my mother.

The hiking destination was Looking Glass Rock. And we would be sitting up on the rock, having a picnic. Let's just say: Mission Accomplished!