A bird calls to its mate. There is a rustle in the woods, is it a deer or a chipmunk? The stream is full and the rushing water has a calming effect on me. There are no cars but a solitary biplane crosses the blue sky.

Sing to me, my mountain. The insects buzz their wings in the trees. The chorus comes together as the morning awakens. A sadness overtakes me. This is my last morning on my mountain. For twenty-three years I have enjoyed the peace of this place. The simplicity of the dirt roads and crystal creeks. The quiet that is filled with sounds. But tomorrow we will leave for the next chapter of our lives and all this will be left behind.

Last night the deer and bears bid us farewell. The chipmunk who loves to play the game of hide and seek has dipped back into his burrow in the ground, but I will never forget the fun we had together.

Over time, our children have grown from the ages of four and nine to become adults with lives of their own. They have shared so many mornings here with us, but they are also moving now. Funny how that happened. Each of us are moving to new homes and starting new adventures all at the same time. I remember them here in their bunk beds, the sound of their laughter as they whispered and shared their private jokes. The cozy fall nights as we gathered around a campfire, the winter sled rides, and the first days of spring.

Adieu, dear friends we have known in this wonderous place. We have seen so many come and go. We have lost ones we still hold in our hearts. But there are those who will remain with us, and we will certainly visit each other again. Bittersweet, the morning. Full of memories and yet full of promise. A dog cries in the distance and I feel the loneliness wash over me. It is but a moment and it fades. Tomorrow we say goodbye to one more part of our lives as we welcome the next. One foot in front of the other, and with a tinge of sadness, we leave our mountain and move forward into what lies ahead.