I discovered something last month.
It’s something I intuitively knew, but gained a new appreciation for on a June day in Youngstown, Ohio.
But…I’m getting ahead of myself.
I could just tell you what I discovered, but what’s the fun in that? Rather, I’m taking you on a short journey of exploration to help you discover the same thing for yourself. Somehow, it just seems better that way.
So, buckle up – we’re heading out on a journey of discovery…
I discovered something last month, and today I’m sharing it with you via a journey of exploration. Share on X
For today’s journey, I’m inviting you to come along (virtually) on our June-long RV trip. We’ll be making three stops, and at each one I’ll share a photo and a story that ultimately led to my discovery. At the end of each story, there will be a Discovery Hint to guide you along.
The stories will be brief, but they’ll each relate to the discovery I made that afternoon in Youngstown. By the end, I trust you’ll make the same discovery I did.
First stop…Greenville, SC. Here’s the promised photo:
The Reedy River Falls in Greenville, SC
Greenville, SC
Our first stop is Paris Mountain State Park, on the outskirts of Greenville, SC. After a 4-hour drive from our home in the North Georgia mountains, we settle in for the first night of our trip.
The story from Paris Mountain is about the next day, when my wife and I explored the wonderful town of Greenville and discovered an interesting story while there. Tourists are known to visit (and take selfies on) the award-winning Liberty Bridge, where the above photo was taken.
What fewer people know is the story behind the beautiful Reedy River Falls in the background of the photo (and that story is relevant to the “One Thing I Discovered” I’m sharing today). For years, this beautiful waterfall was hidden beneath the 6-lane Camperdown Bridge, and many Greenville residents didn’t even know it existed as they sped over it during their busy lives. Thankfully, a community organizing group recognized the valuable resource and petitioned the city to tear down the “ugly” bridge and build the Freedom Bridge, which exists today.
Fortunately, they won.
Discovery Hint: Today, many people know about the beautiful waterfall that was always there, but long hidden from view. How many other beautiful things are hiding in plain sight as we hurry along in life?
Summersville Lake State Park, WV
Kayaking the beautiful cliffs of Summersville Lake
Stop two is Summersville Lake State Park, a place we picked at random off a map. It was on the “RV Loop” that we were planning, so we booked 3 nights there without knowing anything about the area.
As I was taking the dogs for a walk when we arrived, I explored down a trail to the lake’s edge and was blown away to discover the spectacular cliffs along the shore. Hidden out of sight by the forest above the lake, I had no idea they were there until I stumbled down a little trail to the water.
That exploration turned Summersville Lake into a special experience my wife and I will never forget.
We rented kayaks the next day, and spent a wonderful couple of hours paddling along the 1-mile stretch of gorgeous cliff-faced shoreline.
It was spectacular, and one of the highlights of our trip.
Discovery Hint: Because we explored a trail, we discovered the true hidden beauty of Summersville’s lakeside cliffs. How many other beautiful surprises are out there if we just explore the trail?
Youngstown, Ohio (The Last Stop of Our Exploration)
Lanterman’s Mill – Built in 1846
Youngstown, unfortunately, deserves its reputation as a wasteland of obsolete industrial plants, with miles of rusting steel mills and decay in the once-thriving manufacturing town (I can say that; I moved to the area for my first job, and met my wonderful wife there. Fortunately, we were relocated within 18 months). In the words of Google, “The story of the steel mills along the Mahoning River in Youngstown, Ohio, is a classic tale of boom, power and devastating loss.”
During its heyday in the 1920-30’s, steel mills stretched for over 10 miles along the riverbanks, and Youngstown exploded into a town of 170,000. The sky glowed red at night, and the clouds lit up so brightly they could reportedly be seen for 50 miles.
And then…it died.
After WWII, cheaper foreign steel began to penetrate the market, and on “Black Friday” (Sept 17, 1977), Youngstown Sheet & Tube announced its closure, eliminating 5,000 jobs overnight. More closures followed, and the city has suffered ever since. Tens of thousands of jobs disappeared, and the population declined by 50%.
The Rust Belt was born.
Throughout the rise and fall of the great steel industry, however, there was a true gem living in Youngstown’s backyard, and it lives on today. I never knew about it until that fateful day in June, when my wife and I (along with her brother) visited Mill Creek Park, a sprawling 2,700-acre park with 50 miles of trails, built in 1891.
The gem of the park is the amazing Lanterman’s Mill, shown in the photo above. As we walked the grounds, I was mesmerized by the thought of the laborers who hauled all those stones and built that amazing foundation visible in the photo. The workmanship of the construction draws you in, and you can visualize the labor of love that went into building the beautiful structure, in an iconic setting deep inside a beautiful creek valley.
I’ve always been interested in history, and something about this mill captured my imagination. It began grinding flour decades before the steel mills were built, and it continues to grind flour decades after they’ve closed (thanks to a massive restoration effort in the early 1980’s).
I got lost in thought as I toured the mill, and my “Discovery” popped into my head as we walked back to the car.
You’re almost there…have you figured it out?
Discovery Hint: In the midst of urban decay stands a mill that is 180 years old and still captures the imagination with its beauty and history. How many other amazing things endure despite being surrounded by rust and decay?
Back at our campsite that evening, I made the following post. That post was the seed for today’s article:
As I thought through what I had discovered at Greenville, Summersville Lake, and Youngstown, a theme began to emerge.
Greenville: A gorgeous waterfall, hidden for years under a 6-lane expressway.
Summersville: An awe-inspiring shoreline of cliffs, found only because I decided to explore a trail.
Youngstown: A beautiful historic mill in the midst of urban decay.
As I thought about the theme, I realized it’s a perfect metaphor for how we approach our mindset in our retirement. I’ve always been a “glass half-full” type of guy, but this RV trip reiterated the importance of being intentional and maintaining a perspective of grounded positivity.
Like Greenville, how many of us never find the truly beautiful things of life that are buried beneath a life of “hurry” (the 6-lane expressway is a metaphor).
Like Summersville, how many of us get lazy and don’t take the time to explore something that interests us that may lead to a beautiful new interest in our life?
Like Youngstown, how many of us focus on the rust and decay all around us (social media only makes it worse), instead of focusing on that hidden gem in our midst?
The Discovery In A Nutshell
It’s too vast a concept to compress into a simple summary, but this article demands I try…
“Regardless of your circumstances, there is always beauty nearby. Sometimes you’re going to fast to see it, sometimes it’s hidden, and sometimes you need to explore to find it. But it’s always there. Find the beauty in your world, and embrace it. Life is better that way.”
Your Turn: How about you? Do you take the time to appreciate the beautiful things of life, or are they hidden inside a world of hurry? Perhaps they’re hidden by your lack of initiative to explore that trail, or take that first step. Perhaps they’re choked out by your blindness, driven by society’s rust and decay? Do you agree that maintaining a positive mindset is an important attribute for retirement? Finally, what discoveries have you made lately? Let’s chat in the comments…
