Barn of Memories

The creaking from the barn was extra loud tonight. It’s almost like the wind knew that I was getting ready to leave. When you spend enough time in one place, nature seems to know when you come and go. In my case, mother nature seemed to start to protest. The wind had started out as a cool autumn breeze, but started picking up as time passed. The full moon illuminated the pasture past the barn in a pristine white glow.

Stepping out, the crisp cool air embraced me in the hug of an old friend. I could feel the smile grow on my face as the smell of a wood fire rode the wind through the trees. When I reached the barn, the sound of giggling rang through the doors. I smiled at the thought of the memory that the barn had conjured.

The paint was fading and the wood had started going soft. Regardless of its age, every time I went in, it was as if the barn had never aged. Whether it was the wind, or in my head, a whistling came out of the barn that sounded very much like my father’s. Opening the door, I could see him sitting in the corner, in the golden hue of the lantern lit beside him. Whittling away at the wood to make toys for the family, whistling while he worked. There was nothing that father loved more than working with his hands. A wooden wolf started to come to life in his palm, waiting for its turn to howl at the moon.

The wind whipped the walls of the barn, causing the memory to blow out with the lantern in a wisp of smoke. As I watched the smoke float through the door, a giggle called again through the darkness. Walking farther in, a little girl ran up and took my hand. The unmistakable smile of my sister could brighten any darkness. Her warmth and kindness was like no other. This brought us plenty of friends.

As my sister’s hand clasped mine, I felt like I was back to being ten years old. Running to the back of the barn, we found our friends excitedly climbing a ladder to the loft and jumping back down into a large bale of hay below. Without hesitation, I followed my sister up the ladder and waited for my turn to jump. With a bend at the knees, and a push forward, I lifted up and dropped down into the hay.

Exploding around me, the hay spread around. The aroma of rain accompanied its familiar sound. My girlfriend from high school called out my name as the friends from my younger years ran giggling into the dark. Getting up, I found Stacy at the center of the barn. I took her hand and we started dancing in the light. A leak in the roof allowing the rain to drip inside. So lost in each other, we danced in the rain, forgetting the world in each other’s arms.

Stacy whispered “I love you”, then waltzed away, the barn left more lonely in her wake. A baby’s cry pierced the dark of the room, calling me back towards the door. Stacy sat rocking, more aged than before; our baby fussing in her arms. Pride burst through my body at the sight. My eyes started welling up as the love I felt for them overwhelmed me. Just as I stepped towards them, the wind slammed a shutter against the wall in the opposite corner. Though they left my sight for only a second, when I looked back, Stacy and our child were gone. The chair they sat in was still rocking.

I took a seat, hoping to feel their presence. As I sat, I noticed the back of my hand had aged. “Father?”, came a voice from the shadows. Out stepped my daughter with a man on her arm. Her husband smiled as they approached. “Your mother would have been proud.”, I heard myself saying. “I know I couldn’t be more proud of the woman you have become.” They reached out and took my hand, helping me out of the chair. Together, we walked towards the door. Children of increasing age ran by us, from shadow to shadow, as we got closer to the exit. “I love you, dad.”, whispered my daughter as I opened the door.

Stepping out, the crisp cool air embraced me in the hug of an old friend. I could feel the smile grow on my face as the sounds of happiness and joy rode the wind through the trees. Grateful for the memories the barn had provided, I knew it was time to go back to the house. The time had come to sleep, at last.