My father, James Henry Arnold, was a forester and logger by trade. He saw the timber industry boom as well as land prices in Wilcox County Alabama go up over his life time. He owned a small portion of timber and farm land when he passed away, but he had regretted not buying in. He instilled in me the drive to own property and if at all possible invest in land. He would talk about the missed opportunities that he had to purchase the land with the timber that he helped Nuss Timber buy in the past. He saw the values the land had now and what he could have purchased it for in the past. His old saying was "They aren't making any more it ". (land)
My wife and I were in a good financial place a few years back. We had money to invest and of course my Daddy's words rang in my head. I looked and looked for the right piece of property. The search had began but I was yet to own anything other than my house.
During this same period of time my father was rushed into a surgery for tumors on his brain. The tumors were removed and found to be from lung cancer. My father began his battle with cancer and we all know the chances of winning it are few and far between. So, I spent allot of my free time traveling back and forth from North Carolina to Alabama helping my sisters and brother take care of my father. But I digress.
I was still looking for land and used several agents as well as the Internet. I happened on 50 acres in Halifax county VA. It was a big square on the side of a mountain that had a small creek acting a border on the bottom. Being in the timber industry myself, I could see the timber potential as well as the hunting possibilities of the property. Negotiations began. I tried to tell my father of the land potential, but the cancer was robbing him of air. The man that held my hand through all of this really wasn't able to help tell me what to do.
I got that call you never want to hear one night as I lay in bed. My sister Patsy was telling me that Daddy was being air lifted to Birmingham but they didn't expect him to make it. Chele and I of course started packing and began the long drive to Alabama. It was a trip that I carried a suit in my luggage and we all know that doesn't have a good ending. I made it to the hospital to see my Dad on what I believe was a Saturday. This was the Saturday before Easter. He was still there but not by much.
That Saturday, via the phone, we made our final offer on the property and were signing documents via faxes at hospital. I know that sounds crazy but I driven to do what I felt was right and I think part of me had my father in mind as well.
My father passed away from Pneumonia the Monday after Easter. At the same time I was the proud owner of a new piece of property in Virginia. It was so bitter sweet. I never was really ever able to tell him what I had done. My Daddy and I were best friends and it was hard not being able to have him enjoy what I was doing. I have learned however in life that "God is good, God is just, but nobody ever said that God or life is fair." You can take that quote from me. He however was 80 and lived a long life. The cancer was causing him allot of pain and I hope he is in a much better place now. But again, I digress.
After burying my father and signing all the paperwork for my property. (It really about happened that way.) I got my old grey Ford tractor up to Virginia with a bush hog and started to work. The little Ford 9N is my old girl and she works the steep roads like a pro, but again I digress. So, I began doing some well needed mowing and started planning green fields for deer hunting. I was riding the old tractor from the back side of the property after a long days work. I was alone and going over the past months with my father as I felt his hand on my shoulder. That may be in my head but I felt his hand on me as I rode that old tractor back to the gate. I felt a sense of pride in owning the land that I worked so hard for but there was so much sorrow mingled with sadness in all the recent events. I try to take consolation that maybe he sees and enjoys what I do. Maybe he sees the work I put into the land and what I know meant allot to him and I both.
It was three years ago on April the 13th that my dad passed away from the old man's friend. A little piece of him now exists in James Jordan Arnold (Jamie), who is my 2 year old son. Jamie is named for both of his Grandfathers who both lost battles with Cancer. Jamie and I go up to the property to feed the deer and work on the property. I hope as the years go by that I can instill the love of the outdoors and the love of the land in him as my dad in me.
This isn't my normal style of writing. This story was probably written more for me than for your enjoyment, but I hope someone got a smile from it.
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