I took this picture on my way back to town after I had discovered the Raley's clone. The picture is not of good quality but I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the scene as well as its uniqueness. To the left you can see one of the fields of yellow plants that I spoke about in one of my other stories. Just beyond the crest of the hill is the small valley that contains the town of Amboise. Just to the center of the picture, right above where the road disappears, you can see the castle in the distance.

The beauty of this scene is not the picture itself but the thoughts that it provokes. It certainly puts a lot of things in perspective for me. The people of this very valley have known a great deal of sorrow as well as triumph for centuries. Various armies have taken turns pillaging the town, killing the men, raping the women and leaving behind nothing but destruction. Yet the people live on peacefully, rebuilding the town, enjoying today and not worrying too much about tomorrow. With each sorrow comes a subsequent and more vigorous determination, which in turn leads to triumph. These past couple of years have brought a great deal of sorrow to many of us but perhaps no more than in years long past. By God's grace we can all live our lives with the same determination to live peacefully, rebuild what is lost, enjoy today and not worry too much about tomorrow.