First Sister Letterbox Hybrid

   Three sisters, having been inseparable as children, now were of the age to start thinking about finding their own way in life. The youngest 3rd sister, felt she was not yet ready to begin the journey and pleaded with her older siblings to stay with her and their mother at home. But no, the 1st and 2nd sisters knew they must bid their family goodbye and they set off together to explore the world. Leaving home they came to a spot where there were several signs, teaching them about the place in which they now found themselves. Each taking a seat to read the signs, they were reminded of the sister and mother they had left behind by the empty benches next to them. “Look there” said the 2nd sister, “I think I see the glint of water through the trees!” Since the day was hot, the thought of cool water had them rushing down the SE road, not stopping until they reached the edge of a beautiful lake. Someone had started to build here, for there were some wooden platforms and some seats, onto which the 2nd sister sat with a sigh. She said “Isn’t it lovely here? I shall stay in this place by the lake and call this my home.”

  The 1st sister thought that indeed the spot was lovely but she knew she must find her own way and after dividing their provisions she continued NE along the shore, finding a road leaving the lake, heading N. Following this road, she came to a crossroad and chose a way at random, hoping that it was the RIGHT way to go. Thinking of the consequences of losing her way she thought, “Why worry about that now, I’ll ‘cross that bridge’ when I come to it.” When the trail split again she chose the left this time, and shortly thereafter came to another crossroads. The stars had come out now and using them, she picked the direction Polaris set for her. She had not gone but 58 steps when the trail came to a Y which was just after a spot where a tree with a Y shaped trunk sat by the road. The left arm of the tree seemed to point the way for her, so that was the way she went. This part of the forest was dotted with pines, which she had always admired, and ahead she saw a large pine where she stopped to rest.

   Starting off again in a northerly direction, she came to a wooden post and a split in the road. The road ahead at 340 looked well traveled, as if someone had been using it recently. So off she went, first up and then down a small rise in the road. Ahead she was delighted to see another wonderful large pine tree and then, a little further ahead, the most beautiful lake she had ever seen.

  It seemed to her that someone was already living by the lake. Sure enough, she met a man named John, who offered her a place to stay for the night. His place had a beautiful view of the lake and she agreed to stay. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The 1st sister learned to love this humble, generous and caring man. Their time for love was too short, as time for love is always short. The man named John passed away all too soon. But the 1st sister’s love of the lake and memories of John kept her here. She spent the rest of her days watching the play of light reflecting off the lake and through the trees.

  That which you seek can be found by sitting at John’s place. Take the trail in front of you to the right for about 20 steps and then go downhill, carefully, to a hidden place about 9 steps off the trail. Some stones mark the spot.