By John Leavitt

When we first started this journey together, I believe I mentioned I have hope in many ways. Hope in a brighter future, hope in family, hope in community and hope in our nation and the world we live in.

Beaten, battered and bruised like a rigging crew, our little town may be taking on another hit. My former place of work Allen Log is shutting down if nothing changes. My first reaction having left there a few months ago on the hope of being able to help encourage more people with my photography business & ministry, was to pray for them and the community. I prayed for my former coworkers to have hope.

I prayed that hope would come to the community as well. Because as of right now there would be no major sawmill in our local area. I started to think and hope that maybe the local logging companies might invest in the mill together or the people of the town would.

Look at Green Bay Packers they’re owned by the public. I hope that there will be somebody that steps in and invests in keeping a sizeable sawmill in our immediate area. Even if this does not happen, Forks will survive!

I remember my son Justin commenting years ago as we drove down Hoh Hill towards Allen’s. I was taking him to wash trucks there and he made the comment, “dad our family owes a lot to Mr. Allen doesn’t it.”

Wanting more of his thoughts I asked, “How so?” He replied something along the line of, you worked here, I work here, Uncle Mike (Crippen) works here and Grandpa Don (Lamb) worked here and so we all have had food on the table and clothes etc. because of him. I said, yes we have. I then added other family members and friends that had worked there or had helped to bring wood there by working in the wood industry. So much was said, in such a small amount of time. I’ll be revisiting this thought with him soon I’m sure.

I will be picking Justin up on the 26th and spending time with him. We will be passing by Allen’s on the way home from the Portland airport. I will probably drive around the mill for him to see.

Even in all the excitement of being back to Forks for the first time in almost eight years there will be the pain of what is missing and what has happened over that time. I am hopeful that when he sees his cousins he’s never met and by seeing his family and friends that he’ll be reminded of the love we have for him that it will outweigh any hurt. As I type this I get a text and he’s a bit nervous about coming home, I reassured him it would be fine and that I am a little nervous as well. My nervousness is different as I will be doing a couple new things over the Fourth of July and yet I know it will all work out.

It is fitting that I would be writing about hope as the Fourth of July nears. It is hope that this great country was founded on. Hope for a better life for all those that lived here at that time and those that would follow in the years to come.

You see without hope you really have nothing but despair a friend said and I agreed. I don’t want to live in despair. I know we have to be realistic at the same time, but I want to continue to have hope in all things as my faith in God has given me.

I hope you can enjoy the celebration of our nation’s freedom during the week of the 4th. This is where my little bout with nervousness comes in. I will have some of my photos entered in the art show and helping out.

And if you happen to make it to the demolition derby you will hear my voice, I will be announcing the derby. This reminds me there is still a need for volunteers during the Fourth of July festivities. I hope that if you can you’d take the time to help out. Take care and be blessed my friend, Love John

“Breaking Dawn” Photo by John Leavitt

I can be reached by Email: johnkleavitt@hotmail.com

Address: What I see Photography & Ministry P.O. Box 131 Forks, WA. 98331

Business Phone: 360-640-9186