After my nephew died in 2000 my sister in laws friends got together and had a tree planted in Andrew’s memory at Jefferson Barrack’s park. She actually drew me a map so I could find it. Except I had been banned from reading maps by Brian in 1991 for sending us in the wrong direction.

The first time I went, it was by myself. I followed Teresa’s map and could not find the tree. Brian’s parents had been there so I called them. Larry asked me where I was at and said turn around, go here, go there and I found the tree which I took this picture for his page in my family scrapbook.

I visited it a couple more times until my van was stolen and they took the map. After Pokémon Go was released I went to play over there and found the tree no problem. I actually thought it would be cool to make his tree a Pokémon stop but by the time I reached level forty I had stopped going to the park to play.

Fast forward to last year. I put Charlie in the car and say we are going to go to Jefferson Barracks and see Andrew’s tree. I walk the entire path and up, down, all the cross paths (it had changed a lot with little climbing stuff for kids added) but I swear I knew where it was. Four and a half miles later and I cannot find it. I’m convinced they either moved it, or it died. I didn’t like either option.

I saw my father in law a couple days later and asked him if it was still there. Why yes he and Judy had been not too long ago. He said you just get out of the car and walk a little bit and it’s right there. So my next day off I put Charlie in the car and we set off. Four miles later and I still haven’t found it. Just as I am about to get in the car and give up, I think I went left maybe I should go right. Sure enough just a little ways up and it was there. So I dropped a pin on Apple Maps so I wouldn’t have this issue again.

It’s amazing how much this tree has grown in twenty-four years. I didn’t realize it until I looked at the first picture.

A couple weeks ago I decide it’s time to go visit the tree. So I load Charlie up in the car. Somehow I end up in Sylvan Springs Park and cannot find my way over to the walking trail. So I’m like I’ll pull up the pin marking the tree. No pin. So I drive around and remembered the year the Washington Lutheran School picnic was at Sylvan Springs and I rode a spin ride with Kyle and Emily and then promptly threw up.

After driving for twenty minutes and getting nowhere I finally gave up and went to the sculpture park. That evening I remembered I have the all trails app so looked up Jefferson Barracks and got the name of the trail. I put that into the GPS and the next time Chuckie and I went we found it no problem. I also dropped another pin on the map.

If you know someone with no sense of direction be kind to them. It is a terrible way to live. I can manage to get lost even with gps. I think I need to visit the park every six months so I don’t lose the tree location.

Mole Moral ~ No matter how lost you are, eventually you will find your way.