A Place of Reflection in Mentone

We are fortunate to live in a part of the country that offers so many places to slip away to when we want to escape, even for a moment, the routines and stresses of our everyday lives. Within a short drive in any direction, you’ll discover waterfalls and rivers, trails for hiking and biking, and parks with amazing views. There is also a place, right in the middle of Mentone, that invites passersby to enter, sit, reflect, and, if the mood strikes, share their thoughts in a little yellow journal.

This spot is outside the Mentone Arts Center, and it’s called the Dr. Stephen Brewer Sculpture Garden. It had its genesis some years ago when the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama (CFNEA) connected with the Nature Sacred organization, based in Maryland. Together with lots of local support, ideas, and funding, CFNEA created 18 “uniquely beautiful” Sacred Places in the nine east Alabama counties that it serves.

The Sculpture Garden in Mentone serves as a place of inspiration and reflection and is enjoyed by both tourists and local residents. When you visit, you’ll first pass through a portal of entwined and spare branches created by local artist and furniture maker Jeff Rymer. A short path invites a stroll, and a brook may or may not be babbling the day you’re there. The sculpture you’ll see is of Sequoyah, the storied creator of a syllabary for the Cherokee language. Made of bronze, it was a collaborative effort of renowned Cloudland sculptor Carl McCleskey and his wife, Betsy. There’s also a comfortable bench that has its own story (naturesacred.org/benches).

Under the bench are a pen and a yellow notebook inviting visitors to share “the thoughts, feelings, and observations of the world around you or your inner spirit speaking…not only as a means of personal integration, but also for the community that occurs with the shared experience.” Contributors are informed that whatever they write may be passed on in the spirit of inspiring and comforting others.

Visitors have filled several notebooks since the Sculpture Garden opened in 2022. What follows is a selection of the many comments shared by those who felt moved to do so, with any identifying information omitted. As you will see, comments run the gamut from poignant to silly, heartbreaking to irreverent, but are never mean-spirited.

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My husband and I have enjoyed Mentone. 4 months married & 4 years together today. (Laurel, Miss.)

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Girls’ trip (sisters and mom) from Birmingham, Ala.

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Random adventure. Low on $$ but the beauty is free! (and this bench is so cool and surprisingly comfy)

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We have had a great time here in Mentone. We will definitely come back. (Houston, Texas)

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It’s OK to not be OK.

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I will praise Him in this storm!

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I am on a mission to find me…my truth…my life. We are staying by the waterfall, so peaceful. Let every day be an adventure that you are excited to wake up for & resistant to go to sleep from. Every day is a blessing, a gift, the present.

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We got ice cream at the shoppe in town. We got peachy peach and an amazing Southern Blackberry Cobbler milkshake. Wonderful on a hot afternoon!

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L., you’d have loved this place. The art, the flowers, it’s the exact kind of place we would go photograph. I’m learning to live again, eyes wide enough for both of us. This spring is beautiful. I wish you’d have stuck around to see it. Love you forever, your best friend —.

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Finally ate at the Wildflower Cafe with my hubby and wanted to support the arts next door. Beautiful art pieces and Randy is awesome.

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Hiked DeSoto Falls bottom & Ice Cave with family. Waiting on table at Wildflower for lunch. A happy 30th birthday.

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On our journey home from Marietta. We love this spot! We sat here last year celebrating our first anniversary. We couldn’t find our note from last year.  Maybe these notes live somewhere and we get to read them in the future.

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We enjoyed the rain, and the sun

The flowers, and the bees

Thanks for sharing a bit of your life energy

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Here I sit with my mother and aunt, who believe that Sequoyah is a woman and blind, showing Braille in her hand. Help please!

Beautiful place. In search of peace.

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Check out our YouTube video on Mentone, AL @ CrazyTravelAddicts.

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My dog’s first vacation! Lots of fun in July 2023.

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Love the South. How fun is this notebook.

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Enjoying time away from our children.

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We are 4 artists from Chattanooga, TN. We all work for Rock City Gardens and were recently given the opportunity to restore an old barn not too far from here. We stumbled upon this bench after looking at all the beautiful art this town has to offer. Now, we’re headed back to Rock City, but we will return to this place at some point for sure.

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What an absolutely charming and intimate town, on such a beautiful spot in the region. Here celebrating a cherished friend’s birthday.

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Ich bin mit meinen Eltern & meiner Verlobte nach Mentone gekommen. Es ist sehr schon & ruhig hier! (I came to Mentone with my parents & my fiancée. It is very beautiful & peaceful here!)

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Celebrating our first wedding anniversary, taking in the views and each other. Perfection.

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We are full-time RVers. Love Mentone and this journal is icing on the cake. We’ve traveled this country for four years now and this is the first time we’ve seen a journal like this! Mentone, you are doing it right. Peace!

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We celebrated our parents’ 80th and 81st birthdays in this beautiful place, where I spent summers at Camp DeSoto. Such a peaceful space.

This beautiful place offered rest for our school group when a car broke down. It’s gorgeous here and the children got to stick-sword fight by the creek. Visit the pottery store next door!

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Me and my husband rode through here the day before he passed away. Had to return with my kids b/c it’s so beautiful. In Memory of —

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Hello from Belgium! We came a long way but it was totally worth it!

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Weekend getaway. 23rd wedding anniversary. Falling more in love every day.

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It’s my Mom’s heavenly birthday. I think she would’ve liked this place.

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We just spontaneously eloped, even though our wedding is planned for next year. So in love. Forever and ever.

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We got married on 8/11/22 & ran away on a blissful honeymoon to Mentone, AL. Love in all things.

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As I read the entries in this journal, I begin to notice how serene this place is. It’s truly a wonder. It’s interesting to see so many people’s thoughts all in one place. I’m freshly 18. I’m here in Mentone with my family for horseback riding & while they’re standing by the car, I’m just sitting by myself here, relaxing. I love you! Have a good day! Good vibes from Huntsville, AL.

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May the light in me honor the light in you!

Two best friends after almost 2 decades of love, laughter, hardship, & change, sit here on this bench with a new baby & a new outlook on life. Things really do work out in the end & love always prevails. You just have to believe.

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As my wife and I sit here on you in this beautiful little park we are thankful – thankful for the rest and thankful to be here and enjoy this day. Thank you! See you again soon.

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Thank you for creating this park and honoring Sequoyah. It is a good spot for resting, reflecting and learning.

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Mentone is so perfect! We drop our girls at camp tomorrow! Love getting to spend the night here each year and love this bench!

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Today I sit here on this bench with the love of my life. We are here celebrating another wonderful birthday (30 years old). Loving this life I live.

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I am fortunate enough to sit on this lovely bench and watch my two youngest daughters play while my wife, oldest daughter, my parents, and my sister and brother-in-law browse art next door. If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.

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Wish I lived here!

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Enjoyed the bench! We are here on a camping trip and came across this bench with this book. Really enjoy seeing something different. This made me and my family’s day.

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Greeted by a lovely caterpillar on this bench.

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“You become what you love and what you love shapes what you become. If you love nothing, you become nothing. If you love things, you become a thing. Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ but becoming the image of the beloved, an image revealed through transformation. This means we become vessels for Christ’s compassionate love for others.” —St. Clare of Assisi