Lonesome Whistle of the Train

Fog everywhere this morning. After a day and night of rain and chilly temperatures, we wake to 46 degrees and fog. Weather forecasters and news reporters are cautioning people to be careful on the roads. "Watch for the thick fog out there. Drive slower, turn on your lights. Stay alert." Every station gives similar warnings. Turning off the t.v. and radio, I sit and listen. Closing my eyes, I am aware of sounds inside and outside. The refrigerator making ice cubes and the heater turning off are the sounds inside the house. Vehicles driving by, the chirping of black cap chickadees looking for morning seed, the low conversation of a man and woman chatting as they enjoy their daily walk are a few of the outside sounds I notice. Then, a low rumble begins. I love this sound. I know what is coming. The train. My family loves trains. Here it comes now. Slow and steady, the rumble of the coal cars passing through town cause me to pause and enjoy the sound. Where is the train going? Who are the engineers? My favorite part of the train has always been the caboose. But, trains don't have the caboose anymore. No more little red caboose. We have to travel to a museum or take a scenic train ride to see the caboose in action. There it is again....... the low rumble and finally, long, long, short, long...... the lonesome whistle of the train. That long, long, short, long means the train is approaching an intersection. The gates are down, the red lights are flashing and the vehicles are lined up waiting for the train to pass. The lonesome whistle of the train.... a sound that I enjoy. Yes, the whistle does sound lonesome as it echoes throughout the neighborhood. Somehow, that whistle reminds me to slow down and enjoy the moment. If you ever have to wait for a train to pass by, enjoy that time to pause and listen to the whistle. Remember that God has you there at that particular moment for a reason. Pause and enjoy the sound of the lonesome whistle of the train. Have a blessed day, Mimi