Friends and waterfalls

To mark The Salitype Society's second anniversary, Rog, Teyla and I recently drove down to Hinton, West Virginia, for a leisurely stroll along the New River Gorge National River and Sandstone Falls.



It hadn't rained in several days before these pictures were taken, which is why the falls and river were not flowing in full force. Still, we found this place lovely and would like to invite you guys to take a little stroll with us along the water's edge, if you care to imagine ...



Teyla is excited and ready to explore the area around Sandstone Falls! Hurry up, guys, and let's follow her lead as she toddles nimbly down the boardwalk.



Oops! Looks like something along the boardwalk caught our little explorer Teyla's eyes. Let's slow down for a while and find out what has caught her attention, shall we? (Didn't someone wise once say, "Don't walk through life so fast, you forget to smell the flowers"? Our version would be, "Don't skip down the boardwalk too fast, you forget to admire the sights and sounds along it." Amazing how much we can learn from these young'uns!)



Now little Teyla is pointing excitedly and talking a mile a minute (in baby-talk, nonetheless), "Look over there, guys! It's the waterfall!"



And sure enough, there it is in the distance, partially obscured by lush trees ... the beautiful Sandstone Falls of Hinton, West Virginia.



We've come to the river's edge now. Let's take a little break, shall we, beside the rushing waters? Come and sit by us on this sturdy rock ledge. There's room for everyone! Don't you all just love the sound of the river flowing by? We do! Such a relaxing sound, almost like a lullaby, I think.



The river's water level is low today, so we're in for a treat! We can walk out to almost the middle of the river - the first time we've ever done this! We better hurry. Rog and Teyla are already way ahead! Can you see them in the distance?



Now it's time to kick off our shoes and join Teyla for a little splash in the cool waters of the New River Gorge River! Oooooh, the water sure feels cool on my feet! Do you like that, too?



OK, just one more group shot on this huge rock in the middle of the river before we head back. One, two, three ... say, "Cheese!" (Not many people get to have their pix taken in the middle of a river, so I guess you could say this is a special, kinda "historic" moment!)



Before we leave the river, let's sit on the rocky shore and take in the serene view ... of trees standing like proud sentries on the hillside facing us, of water splish-splashing over rocks, sometimes roughly, sometimes gently. You know what I was thinking as the camera shot this picture? I was thinking that FRIENDS, in a big way, are like the waters of a river.



Over time, water can shape rocks, cut out whole river beds, and even chip away sandstone to create beautiful waterfalls. In a similar way, FRIENDS, through the years, touch our lives through kind words, thoughtful deeds. They may be near or they may be far - half a world away even. And yet that's how FRIENDS are. They touch our lives somehow and, in the process, they change us.



A few years ago, a handful of individuals met online. Friendships were formed. Bonds grew stronger. Time passed, and just as the waters of the New River Gorge River eventually turned a simple river bed into the breathtaking Sandstone Falls, something beautiful was formed in cyberspace - The Salitype Society.



Thank you for joining my family and I on our trip to Sandstone Falls! We had a lovely time with you all!

Happy 2nd anniversary, Salitype! And thank you for the friendships.

- By MJ Browning