The story of the train

There once was a man and woman who were happily wed in their early 20s. The man loved the woman with all his heart and loved everything about her. Of course throughout their marriage they fought, had disagreements, but nothing that ever lasted long because they loved each other and truly worked at it. But there was one thing that the man just could not take, a train. The woman had been out thrift shopping one day and had found a model train. There was nothing too special about it; it was old, had the coal car, and classic smoke stack. The conductor box was red and the engine was a bright blue. After bringing it home and showing the man, she placed it on the window sill above the kitchen sink.

After the man saw this, he immediately took the train down and put it in the cubbard under the sink. For some reason, he just could not stand that gaudy train. The next day the man came home from work, and sure enough the train was back up on the window sill. Frustrated  he took the train and put it back in the cubbard under the sink.

This routine continued for the next 20 years, some days the train would stay up on the window sill for a few days and sometimes it would stay under the sink, but the battle continued. As the couple grew older, the woman became sick and soon the woman passed away. The man came home from the hospital that day and saw the train, once again up on the window sill. The man looked intently at it and gave a small smile because he knew that would be the permanent place of that train for the remainder of his days.

What do you hate in your life? Will you still hate it when it's gone? Will you hate it when you loose something that you love? The man loved this woman so much that even though he hated the train, it reminded him of her and he was happy. So even though he hated the train, it brought him joy because it reminded him of her.

I recently had this happen with country music. If you know me, I hate country music, but for the first time the other day, I truly enjoyed it. I was with friends going up to stay at a cabin and go on a float trip. Apparently after you get out of the city, everyone turns into a country loving crazy person. And as annoying as the music was, it made me smile because it reminded me of the midwest, our music, line dancing, my friends, and just simple living. As long as I'm away from the midwest, I think I will tolerate country music because it makes me smile.

Oh and I'm going up to the Boundary Waters at the end of July. I couldn't be happier. :)

Boundary Waters 2006. It has been 7 years since we have gone. It is time.