Dear Honey Run Friends,
We brought Christmas and the holiday season to a close Wednesday and it is finally feeling like winter here at The Inn. The temperature has dropped and we’ve had a light snowfall, giving the landscape a gorgeous light white blanket of covering throughout the grounds. I have been enjoying some time with our guest services staff this season, meeting many of you as you arrive for your stay. Being at the front desk, a natural congregational point, I am filled with warmth from the glow of the fireplace and the opportunity to chat with longtime friends of The Inn. Hearing new stories about how your time here has had an impact on you as a place to unwind, release from the stresses of the world, and even how The Inn at Honey Run has served as the backdrop to save marriages. I met a lovely couple from Pennsylvania who shared how they came to The Inn for their 12th anniversary to build a curriculum for a marriage class at their church. They shared with me how they were struggling, and thought, if they only knew how bad our marriage was they would not be asking us to lead this class. But with quiet reflection and study during their time here, the couple learned how to communicate and really listen to one another. They have been blessing others with their experience for years because of their growth. Hearing their story and seeing the affection between them encourages me to continue to hope for this type of love.
I love this time of year as activities quiet down and there is less of an emphasis on the busyness and more time to huddle around a fire and appreciate its simple presence. A burning fire has meant life for generations and is a source to cook our food. While most of us are not reliant on a fireplace in each room to heat our house we are mystically drawn to the healing power of the dancing flames and the soft smell of burnt wood. The scene brings me back to my childhood and reminds me of a simpler day when I would come inside from an cold afternoon of winter fun and relax around the wood burning stove and rejoice in its warmth. The heat and glow provided from a fire is a wonderful reminder of the simple things in this life that bring joy.
As we embark into a new season and embrace the presence of Old Man Winter, I pray that the new year brings you and your family peace and joy. This life provides all of us unique challenges but it also brings each of us great joy if we are willing to see the good. I pray that your pain is lessened and your time is filled with moments of great memories, memories that will last an eternity.
I hope that The Inn at Honey Run serves as a blessing for you in 2016, and perhaps even be the backdrop for an important milestone in the story of your life.
Happy New Year!
Jason
Back in 1987 I was privileged to spend a Spring weekend at Honey Run with my 91 year old mother. She stayed indoors enjoying the fireplace and nature’s beauty through her window, while I was able to walk and explore and enjoy the beauty, and take pictures of the beautiful trillium and a tree in bloom! I loved it! It was a treat to be able to eat in the dining room, too! Now it’s my turn to be getting close to what Mom’s age was then. The price to stay there limits my ability to go back, but I recently shared a few of my pictures of that time with another lady, and the pictures continue to bring me the pleasure of remembering. Maryann
Jason,
So happy that you chose to spend some time with your Guest Services Staff at the front desk during the Christmas holidays. It was such a surprise to see you there so many times during our stay, and be able to let you know how much our yearly stay at Honey Run is such a blessing to Evelyn and myself. Your staff so graciously responded to our every need including making sure that we had enough firewood on the porch. We so love that fireplace and as you so eloquently stated, those dancing flames and the soft smell of the burnt wood have such healing powers. Such simple pleasures have the power to heal both mind and body. Yes, winter has finally come to Columbus as well, but what a thrill it was to see blue birds at Honey Run in December.
My thanks to you and your entire staff for all you do to provide such an oasis of quiet beauty in the midst of our non-stop world.
See you next year.
Mary Faith