Dear Honey Run friends,
We are in full swing of the busy autumn season at The Inn. We have been going strong since reopening in early May and the pace has been “pedal to the metal.” There has not been a moment to catch our breath since reopening from the COVID-19 shutdown. We are extremely blessed to be in this position as we know so many in our industry are struggling. This is the first time in our 38-year history that we are benefiting from our remote location. Our business model was socially distanced before this became an everyday phrase. We thank each and every one of you for your patronage and loyalty. Your choosing to come spend a respite from the world with us has been a blessing to each of the forty souls who work for The Inn, as well as the hundreds of vendors we use to supply our daily needs.
I am writing this on Sunday just after returning from a funeral of the father of one of our team members. Today was a perfect autumn day with a cool breeze, but in the sun, a warmth came over you. As I was attending the socially-distanced funeral at the cemetery, I was left without words of the beauty of the valley. This cemetery sits on a hill and overlooks the Holmes County landscape. The Honor Guard was there, because this man served our country in Vietnam. It never fails to choke me up as the guns fire, taps are played, and the flag is presented to the surviving family. As I stood in this cathedral with the sky as its ceiling, I contemplated my life and what would be said at my funeral. This contemplation made me question my time management and things I dedicate the most time in my life too. Are the hours spent smoking a cigar the best use of my short time on earth? Have I lived by the principles and faith I believe to be true? Have I honored God with the way I used my talents, opportunities, and money He has blessed me with in this life? Have I loved my neighbor as myself? Did I leave it all on the field or did I hold back?
These questions are challenges to me each day to live a life that I will be proud to stand in front of my Creator and answer for all that I have been entrusted with in my life. I know I fail often and miss the mark, but my soul yearns for perfection. I am thankful that I serve a loving God, and I place my eternity in His trust.
It’s interesting how autumn often brings death contemplations to me. I am not sure if it is because the season is an ending of this year’s life cycle or if it is the cooler dark days that cause me these reflections, but I am grateful for them. While death is sad, it is part of the process of life, and we know that it is just the beginning of our life story. The best is yet to come.
Your contemplative Innkeeper,
Jason
