Kindred Spirits pg 16 - 28

~ Faith ~ pg 16

With the dishes for one finished, Jenny looked out the opaque kitchen window.
Across the cold dark barnyard came a beam of light.
Telling Jacob’s mother that the lantern was still burning in the old barn. As she bundled up to put out the dangerous flame, memories flashed back. 
Of checking for that same light years ago came clearly to her now, when Jacob and Toby were on their adventures in the wilderness. They often returned after dark and sometimes well into the morning, just in time for breakfast
.
pg 17
The light in the window of the old barn always brought a sigh of relief from her. As it was a sure sign that they were back home again.

~ And they always came home ~
Once Jacob went off alone and was not back after two days and a night. Jenny’s worried more with each moment. 
In desperation, she opened the latch
to Toby’s stall as he pawed up dust and snorted. And watched with tears in her eyes as the work horse disappeared into the misty shadows of a moonlit night.

pg 18
The next day,
When she arrived at the barn for the morning chores, 
There was Jacob asleep in the stall with Toby.
And now, years later,
As Jenny opened the door to the old barn, 
A worried mother wanted very much to again find her son asleep in the corner of the stall.
~ But that was years ago ~
She could only feel Jacob’s presence, knowing that a part of him was still there.

pg 19
She stroked Toby’s head in the fog of their combined breath. Soon unloading her deeply hidden fear that her son would never return . “Oh Toby
I wish that you could be with Jacob again.
He misses you so much."
And she thought to herself as she blew out the lantern and turned towards the dim light of the house.
~ And you always brought him home ~
The worried mother thought only of her lost son, as her hand unconsciously brushed along Toby’s stall.

The worn wooden latch slid open as she thought of how fast the last twenty some odd years had gone by.
She had only her memories of the past and her faith to get her through each today
.
~ Searching ~ pg 20
Toby wandered through the woods
for days. Refreshing the memories of the great times they shared in their mountain playground. 
This was as close as he could get to finding Jacob. Here, their souls mingled with the Spirit of the Woods.
In the quiet and peace of Mother Natures beauty,
Toby fell to sleep to the rhythm of a single songbird. 
As the gently falling snow flakes melted on the sun warmed rocks all around him.

pg 21
The sun dropped behind the wooded mountains. 
Slowly the rocks cooled and the snow began to cover the earth in a heavenly blanket of warmth.

This earthly life softly slid from the tired work horse.
And the songbird flew off to where songbirds go. 
As the last snow of the season fell lovingly onto the sleeping mountainside.

~ Transition ~ pg 22

Jacob woke from his dreaming of home, Toby and their mountain adventures together. Only the singing of a songbird transitioned from his dream to the present. The cries of the dying and the smell of the dead were real. Still in his hand, the four month old letter from home that connected him to another more gentle world.
My dearest son
Hope and prayers that this letter finds you safe and sound. The news from over there is very limited these days. The talk is that things are not going as planned.
Sad news of Toby~ As he passed on during the last snowstorm of the winter I know how much he meant to you, and you to him~~~~~
pg 23
The field promoted Captain from the faraway mountains cleared his head. Returning to the reality of he and his remaining comrades. 

Trapped in a trench in Southern France in the mist of insanity. Wallowing like hogs in the spring mud with no way out!
Not a tree above or a worm below them was alive in this often bombed field that was once a lush meadow.


~ Reunion ~ pg 24

The songbird stayed on to complete his offering of love. He seemed very much out of place in the middle of this death zone.
Jacob watched and listened as the brightly colored bird circled back and forth over the heads of the men in their tomb. His heart pounded with the excitement as a part of him recognized an old friend.
Soon many were pointing up and shouting at the free flying bird. Stirring their brothers to see the sign of life renewed!
Men that were cold and broken, warmed and moved as the spirited ambassador of life drew them from their grave.
As he finished his song, the lone bird disappeared into the morning mist that covered the battlefield in a thick blanket.

~ It was then ~

That Jacob’s “knowing” of natures ways came to him with a mighty jolt!

pg 25

He knew that the bird would likely be heading for a safe place A place with cover as the rising sun would soon melt away the security of the mist.
They only had a small window under the cover of the unusually thick morning fog.

And only a smaller chance that the other side of the mist was any better than where they were now!
Knowing that they could not hold up to another charge by the Germans, Jacob passed the order down the trench.
~ Move Out Follow Me!! ~

~ Loyalty ~ pg 26

Again the soul of his old friend came to him. This time through a half starved puppy with eyes that reached across the darkness.

Given to a lost to this world soldier by a stranger as a last resort remedy.
The young French nurse knew little of the language of the foreigner, but much of the power of unconditional love.
In an asylum full of the war’s forgotten casualties Jacob existed for two years.

pg 27
There were only dark clouds and shadows in his world.
As he succumbed to the battering of his spirit, trying to survive in the kill or be killed madness of war.


Caring for this mangy mutt with the unpopular German bloodline, in time brought Jacob back to his loving nature.
And out of the protective shadows of his mind.

~ And eventually to his Smokey Mountain Home ~


~ Knowing ~ pg 28

“It’s time to go Poppy”
“Wee my Cherie, wee” the old man replied.
Jacob looked through the back window of his granddaughters new car. For the last time at the place in the mountains where he grew up and learned to be “one” with nature. ~ He again saw his old friend. ~
Looking out between the timbers as he had many years ago on that life changing day. ~ But this time ~
He saw only the glow of peace, forgivness and wisdom radiating from Toby’s eyes.

And they both knew that in a short time they would be together again. ~ Off on Another Adventure!! ~