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…
I discovered something last month, and today I'm sharing it with you via a journey of exploration. Share on X
One Thing I Discovered…
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, and 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:
Greenville, SC
Our first stop is Paris Mountain State Park, on the outskirts of Greenville, SC. After a 4-hour drive from our cabin 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 discovery 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
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, just waiting for us to explore a trail?
Youngstown, Ohio (The Last Stop of Our Exploration)
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 June day, 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:
The One Thing I Discovered – Revealed
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 highlighted the importance of intentionally 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? Walk down that trail; it may lead to something beautiful.
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 – A Summary
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 too fast to see it, sometimes…
- You have to follow your curiosity down a trail, and sometimes…
- You have to look past the negativity to find it.
But it’s always there. Find the beauty in your world, and embrace it. Life is better that way.”
The discovery made me pause. To think.
I hope it does the same for you.
Your Turn: How about you? Do you take the time to appreciate the beautiful things of life, or do you spend too much time in a hurry and miss the good things? Perhaps they’re hidden by procrastination, and you need to take a first step to explore that trail. Perhaps they’re choked out by a focus on the negative, and it’s time to start looking at the “half-full” portion of your glass.
Do you agree? Finally, what discoveries have you made lately? Let’s chat in the comments…
My dad taught me to look for beauty in the small details of life. Examples are found everywhere from a normal neighborhood to a national park… In a field full of weeds I can always find a small flower. I almost never miss the chance to snap a close up of it and send to friends and family. GREAT reminder article today Fritz, happy you had such a nice trip!
Fritz, thanks for sharing your adventures and that purposeful meaning you find hidden behind those discoveries. As a volunteer docent at the Tampa Bay History Center, I have learned and discovered many hidden gems in our area. Just one hundred years ago, Tampa was the cigar capital of the world, employing 16,000 workers producing over one million cigars a day in over 200 factories. These workers were immigrants from Spain, Cuba, Sicily and Germany. Because of urban renewal, the returning WWII veterans’ preference for cigarettes, and obvious the health concerns; the industry died. Like Youngstown, Ybor City our national historic district in Tampa fell into decay but recently has revitalized and is thriving once again. I am glad that I am fulfilling a volunteering position that is opening my eyes to what has always been around me.
Oops Eric, I realized I posted on your comment. Agreed on local parks, whether city, state or national. They are around us to be discovered.
Eduardo, ironic to think that many of those cigars that were rolled in Ybor City were likely smoked by the “Fat Cats” running the Youngstown steel mills. Small world. Cool that you’re a volunteer docent, great way to get involved in your local history, and find the “gems hidden among the decay.”
Eric, I love the analogy of flowers in a field full of weeds. Your Dad was a wise man.
Love the retirement metaphor. As boomers and genx we can go back to the simplicity of childhood without technology. This should be intentional and a way of life but it’s easy to ignore with a busy life and different priorities. Great article and expression.
“…we can go back to the simplicity of childhood…”
We can, indeed, Jennifer. It’s one of the reasons I love Mountain Biking, it reminds me of riding my bike in the woods as a kid!
Great article. I still find solace in the little known area of North Kingstown/Wickford, RI at the Shady Lea rest area off of route 4. There is a pond there called Silver Springs/Shady Lea pond where my father brought be to fish as a child. We caught trout and other fish that we always cooked. Sometimes we went out on a boat to fish. The autumn colors were beautiful as well. That was my whole world then. Years later I moved 1500 miles away. When I do go back, I always visit there by myself to think of the good times with my father now that he has passed on. Years later, when I studied for the RI Bar Exam, I studied at that spot for hours which provided the peace I needed for success. There is a large boulder there that I used to climb. Sitting on it and next to it while looking at the pond and surrounding woods, always gladdens my heart still at 67 years old.
Love, love, love this story.
In downtown Providence, there’s a story similar to the Greenville one.
A 19th century bridge covered part of the river and expanded over the decades until almost the entire river was covered by pavement for vehicles. It was considered the world’s widest bridge.
In the 1980s, they started removing this and now the exposed river is a highlight of the city.
Thank you for posting this article. I so needed to hear it’s message.
As a writer, I could ask for no greater compliment. Hearing is one thing, applying is another. I hope you take that first step…. 😉
Wabi-Sabi (Youngstown)
Great article that will inspire your readers to reflect on their own past journeys; I just did and came up with a memory I’ll share.
Not too long ago, Carol and I traveled to the great Rocky mountains to hike. When at one of their state parks, we took a trail that was less used rather than continuing on the main trail. Well, after about a mile almost straight up….we landed upon a mountain top. And discovered we were at the Continental Divide! What a view we had up there. Only ones up there. We took our photos and rested. Rough trip going down. Never did run into anyone. They missed out! We were about 62 then. Lucked out. God’s beauty surrounds all of us, no matter where one resides. Sunrises and sunsets. Rainbows. Leaves changing colors. Blessings to all of you.
You know that’s how people get lost, right Steve? 😉
Glad your exploration was a success and led you to that summit. Another good metaphor…
I’m just back from a tour of the historic railroads of Colorado. A technology focused tour for this old Civil Engineer. Amazed at the elegant solutions to very challenging construction.
THAT sounds fascinating! I love reading about the old West and the race to build the “iron roads” across the country. Those men faced some real challenges, and their success changed our country. Cool that there’s a trip dedicated to studying those old lines.
We are taking a tour of British Isles. The natural beauty of Hebrides in Scotland and the countryside in Ireland is downright magnificent
You’re in one of my favorite places in the world – soak it in for me!
Barby and I have lived by one simple philosophy ever since our first date in February 1975. We’ve carried it through my military career, my civilian career, and now our “retirement career.” (Who knew retirement could keep us this busy?)
No matter where Uncle Sam—or life—sent us, we made a conscious decision to bloom where we were planted. Some duty stations were easier to appreciate than others…and let’s just say a few weren’t exactly on anyone’s vacation bucket list. But every place had something worth finding if we took the time to look.
I’ve always believed the secret is choosing to see the glass as half full instead of half empty just like you have mentioned. That’s not just positive thinking—it’s a choice. Look for the good, the beauty, the local mom-and-pop restaurant, the hidden back road, the friendly people, or maybe just the sunset that reminds you why you’re there.
These days our PCS orders have been replaced by campground reservations and road trips. We still pull into a new place with the same attitude: “All right…show us what you’ve got!” More often than not, we’re pleasantly surprised.
Life is a lot more enjoyable when you spend less time wishing you were somewhere else and more time discovering what’s right in front of you.
Good job, Fritz! Keep that attitude. It makes every stop along the journey a destination instead of just another place to park. You continue to bring new thoughts to all of us and it’s so appreciated.
Thank you.
“…we made a conscious decision to bloom where we were planted.”
Ironic, Mike, that my wife and I adopted that exact same attitude during my 10 Corporate relocations. We were negative about our first move, and it turned out to be a less than enjoyable experience. We learned from it, adoped the half glass full attitude, and enjoyed every other place we lived.
There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s some serious “self-fulfilling prophesy” at work. Think it, and so it shall be… Fortunately, we’re able to decide how we “Think it.”
Fritz,
Thank you for the inspiration to look for the beauty around us. It’s important to keep in mind that the hidden beauty isn’t limited to the landscape or history, but to the people and communities around us as well. I often think of life like building a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. In the Christmas cartoon, his twig of a tree is turned into something beautiful by the actions and love of his community. We can build a beautiful life anywhere. But it will take work and investment of time and Community.
Thanks for your work and inspiration,
Rich
“…but to the people and communities around us as well.”
Spot on, Richard. Thanks for adding value to the discussion.
I find it interesting that, even in retirement, we tend to get so busy we miss the beauty around us. Thus, I have become a seeker of “awe” moments… noticing the hidden gems that surround me. And they are there. Every. Single. Day. Your post is a good reminder that beauty rises from the ashes if we take the time and effort to notice.
I’ve noticed the same thing, Marian. I wrote that article as much for myself as for the reader, and the message to slow down is resonating (deeply) for me.
Thank you for the post; I’ll reflect on it. Chuckled when I saw the picture of you and your wife visiting our hometown of Greenville.
And…I bet you have a selfie from that same bridge, right? Too bad we missed you, would have been great to meet up for a coffee while we were in the neighborhood!
Excellent article. Thanks for reminding me of the blessing of being retired and the ability to find God’s beauty in the world around us. Keep writing, Fritz!
Doing my best, Steve. When the mood strikes. Fortunately, it still strikes from time to time.
My dad taught my brother and me to look UP. So often we walk along with our heads down either looking at our feet, or now scrolling mindlessly.
Other families counted cows, we counted hawks. Not a competition, but a running total. (extra point if it was in a tree).
To this day, I am always aware of my surroundings, especially when I’m walking or hiking or in a new environment. I see things that people around me walk right by.
I do go down the side trails, I want to see what’s there. And I’m very, very good at spotting hawks and eagles, even if they’re mere specks in the sky. Unfortunate side effect is that I can be the world’s worst hiking partner. 🙂
Sometimes I forget that this can and should be applied to other areas of my life, especially now as I approach retirement. Thanks for the reminder.
Cool that your life today is still influenced by that simple, but important, lesson from your Dad. He’d be proud. Can make hiking a bit difficult with all of the roots and rocks around here, but looking up is something we all need to get better at.
Love this, the message is so powerful in its simplicity. Mac Davis wrote a song that my parents listened to when we were growing up that says to stop and smell the roses along the way. That has always stuck with me and this is a great reminder. Thanks!
Great article, it makes me think of the quote from the famous National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones – When we believe it, we will see it!
Regardless of your circumstances, there is always beauty nearby. Sometimes…
> You’re going too fast to see it, sometimes… When I started my professional career, I was SO driven that I would be working, and taking calls ALL THE TIME, and was never home while my dearest wife was taking care of our 3 daughters.
> You have to follow your curiosity down a trail, and sometimes… then, injuries and health scares slow me down and took us to a different aspect of a person I needed to be for my family instead of my career. And,
> You have to look past the negativity to find it. Then after being retired now for the past 4 years I found most of joy and contentment within our family time together, and stop the look back of the hardship together as being a blessing. Thanks for the wonderful reminder that beauty can also be found in our relationship and family. Love your work, please keep it up.
But it’s always there. Find the beauty in your world, and embrace it. Life is better that way.”
AC, Wow, powerful and raw comment. Thanks for transparently sharing a real life example that highlights the theme so powerfully.
Sorry about the health scare, but pleased to hear it caused a shift in priorities toward the things that really matter.
No matter where I travel, I notice there are beautiful, interesting or unexpected things to see. And I can bring that feeling home, to notice the beautiful, interesting and unexpected things in my everyday life! Thanks for reminding me.
I find as a get older that relaxing and enjoying downtime or vacation time is more about discovery of people then places. The Instagram cool vacation doesn’t interest me and a new good hiking trail an hour away from home is just as good as flying across the country.
I have better time getting know new people, or old ones I haven’t seen in a long time. It about the people we surround ourselves about that make life fun and new.
I write about it often
This is a genuinely beautiful discovery… we are/ I am constantly chasing something, never to pause and take in the beauty of this moment, rarely taking the path less travelled. Thank you Fritz for sharing!