A lot can change in twenty or so years. But what if you had slept during that time and woke up to changed surroundings? This is the plot for the story: “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving. Rip slept for twenty years to wake up to a changed world. Recently, I had an experience that made me feel like Rip Van Brooke.
Actually, I had this happen first to an old friend of mine. She moved away to another state shortly after we graduated from high school. Not long ago she came back for a short visit. During that time, she drove around her old neighborhood. Needless to say, she was rather taken aback by the changes that had happened in the last thirty years. She shook her head as she told me how out of place and time she was feeling. How did I respond? Basically I shrugged it off: “Yep, everything changes.” Then came my turn.
If you read my article: “Now what?” then you know that Tim and I took a cruise on the Tennessee River for our anniversary. While we had a wonderful time, I had a few minutes of feeling unsettled. It started not long after we boarded the boat, which was docked just east of the Gay Street Bridge. After we sat at a table on the top deck, I looked over to the other side of the river. That’s when it hit me. It actually took me a second to adjust to what I was seeing and what I wasn’t seeing.
What was no longer there was East Tennessee Baptist Hospital and some professional buildings. Back in the late 1980s, I worked there part-time while I was in school. They were good to work with my class schedule. Also, I enjoyed my coworkers. Unfortunately, the hospital began to have financial problems, which led to its closure. At that time, I had already moved on to other employment. Now, I knew it had been torn down and there were discussions about developments, but I hadn’t seen it for myself. We hardly ever go to that side of town. But to actually see numerous many-storied apartment buildings instead of the hospital gave me the strangest feeling. It was really like falling asleep for thirty some odd years and waking up to a new reality.
It didn’t get any better for me as we crossed under the Henley Street Bridge because the employee parking lot was across the street from the hospital. We would walk under The Henley Street Bridge to get to the hospital. Let me tell you, it was so cold walking next to the river in the winter time. Anyway, that parking lot was huge and had two levels. Not anymore. The whole area had been leveled and another apartment building now sits there. So that part of my life was truly gone forever.
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)
My friend’s and my reactions at seeing all of the changes were normal. We get used to people, places and things and don’t like it when they change or go away. But what The Lord has in store for His children is eternal. Even though I can’t see it now, I know I will one day and that gives me peace.
Wait a minute. Didn’t I write about having a good time on the cruise? I did indeed. You see, I shoved those unsettling feelings aside and then I thanked God for how much He has blessed through the years since I worked at the hospital. But it would be nice to be able to still be able to fit into my scrubs from that time.
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.