This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle. Today is the day we leave this Gatlinburg, Tennessee place.

And I have to admit. There’s something in my eyes. You know. I’m a little teary.

We were here a little over two weeks. And we didn’t plan to stay as long as we did. But I’m not sure where we are always hurrying off to. So we decided to stay and relax.

 

And in the span of about two weeks, we saw snow. Rain. Ice. Bears. Deer. Rivers. Creeks. And the Great Smoky Mountains. They are truly great.

Girl Person explained to me that there is a reason it looks like there is smoke above the mountains. It’s actually fog that rises from the vegetation that grows there.

That’s the short answer because I’m not a scientist.

But I’ve learned that you don’t have to know everything about something or someone to appreciate it. You do have to acknowledge though that you love them. And mountains? We love you. Even though we have to go now.

It’s true that I love the beach and the sand and the ocean.

But my love for the ocean doesn’t make me appreciate the mountains any less. If the whole earth was a beach, it wouldn’t work the way it should. And the individuals who loved the mountains would be sad like Digby.

The short time we were here, I came to realize we all need a break sometimes, no matter what you think you need to do. For Girl Person, hot showers and a little convenience helped her.

For Boy Person, he enjoyed running by the Little Pigeon River and feeling the solitude of the water and scenery.

And although Digby can be happy anywhere, there is no denying the river and creeks are his happy place.

So if there is smoke in my eyes as we say goodbye today, I’ll admit it. Even though we all try to be strong, sometimes you can’t be. You have to give in to your feelings and actually feel them.

It may not be a convenient day to feel the feels. You may not want to cry. But emotion is what makes us better. You have to let go!

We don’t know what the future holds or where our travels will bring us next. But for today, we say goodbye to the Great Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove, Gatlinburg and all the beautiful areas we visited.

Will we be back? We don’t know. So we’ve said what we want to say. You can do the same. Don’t wait to say or do or feel. Let the smoke get in your eyes.

–Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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