This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle. Do you ever feel like you are on a ride that you can’t get off of? Like life won’t let you off at your stop? Yeah. It’s easy to feel that way.

We didn’t tell you the full story about the train this week. As we were being petrified of the train noise as it came thru the tunnel, and Girl Person was trying to comfort us, Boy Person’s job was to film the train coming thru the tunnel. People say they try to see this happen for years! And they never catch it at the right time. And so the fact that it happened by chance when we were there was crazy!

It was a once in a lifetime experience, as Girl Person said! And as Boy Person filmed it, one second into the film, his camera said…FULL. Yeah. You guessed it. He missed it.

Now. You may say to yourself it’s no big deal. But Boy Person didn’t say that. In fact, he was what you call devastated. He vowed that he would sit there all day until another train came. And you guessed it. He did. And you guessed it. The train didn’t come back. All day.

He made his way home, defeated and knowing the video for the week just wouldn’t be good. But, sometimes, you can’t make a train come thru the tunnel. So he went for a run, and thought maybe he would stay close to the tunnel. Just in case there was a late shipment of coal. And all of a sudden, he heard it! The train whistle! Loud and clear! He ran as fast as he could!

He made it just in time!

And as the train made its way thru the tunnel, he filmed it. But he thought how very loud and how very long this train was. After sitting there all day in the peace of the woods and hearing the creek, the train seemed, well, out of place. Not welcome. And he kind of regretted he had wished for it to come back.

Because after the loud train left, the woods seemed back to normal. Back to where it should be. Peaceful. Useful. Beautiful.

This week has been very interesting in this Virginia place. It never lets us down, always inspires and teaches us many lessons. Every place we visit does.

But the train, the tunnel and the history here has certainly made us wonder. Are we going too fast? Are things too loud? What is the point of it all?

Do we wait for dramatic and loud episodes in life to get excited? Why do we need that? Are we ignoring the peaceful parts of life that are the most important? What are we missing?

After the train leaves, there is certainly quiet. After big events happen in our life, we may think without them, life is boring. We may not want to hear ourselves think or to face what we need to with silence and quiet.

But we can never be better without reflection. So take time to listen after the train leaves. You may not hear a whistle. But you’ll hear the meaning of what life can be if we take time to hear it.

–Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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