If you were to tour the area I live it would be difficult to convince you it was one of the busiest logging towns in Oregon. Gervais, along with Oregon City and Salem, was considered for Oregon’s state capital. It was the first town in Oregon to have electricity, the Catholic Church, and a school district, as it is Oregon School District #1. Now, it’s once dense forests have given way to miles of nurseries, vineyards, and rolling fields. The trains that use to make several stops during the week just streak through blowing their loud horns as if to ask: “Remember me”?
There is, however, a beauty in what remains. I could spend an entire day cruising the Willamette Valley admiring all of the lovely sculpted landscape. The skillfully designed fields are some of the most interesting patches of natural artwork, boasting mesmerizing patterns of lines and curves. Colorful rows of Tulips, Irises, and Peony’s are viewed by the thousands each year in Woodburn, Keizer, and Brooks. Due to the vast amount of Hop fields the town of Hubbard holds its annual Hop Festival and everyone loves to attend the Mount Angel Oktober Fest (in September). =)
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Experience! Whether good, or bad, it takes the experience life throws at us to mold and form the character of an individual. These are the feet of my 16 year old daughter, Gabby (Gabrielle). She is a junior and has been the starting pitcher for her high school varsity softball team since she was a freshman. Over the years Gabby has played every single position the game of softball has to offer. She’s had three different pitching coaches, countless team coaches, several knee injuries, numerous raspberries from sliding, and a trip to the emergency room at the local hospital (and a partridge in a pear tree). I wish I had a nickel for every time she’s been hit by a pitch and she’ll proudly show you those bruises if you were to ask.
With Gabby, there have been wins and there have been losses, sometimes horrible losses. But there have been amazing victories, too. I’ve seen the days where Gabby was praised by coaches, parents, umpires, newspapers, and players alike. But I’ve also seen her thrown out of games by frustrated coaches who thought she was absolutely worthless. There have been close wins we celebrated with hugs out in the middle of the field, but there were the losses her and I argued about during the drive home. We take the bad times so we can fully appreciate the good and learn while moving ahead.
No one is victorious forever, but losing is never permanent, either. If you can survive experience, you are a winner.
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