Today, I go to the mountains looking for the peace that I know is waiting. I am ready. It has been promised.
The temperature is perfect for this walk. Translucent waters tumble around the trail side stream. I hear the melody of the birds. I am drawn to the luminous green of the lichen against tree trunks. Running tips of fingers over the tiny forest, enjoying the feel.
The skies have grown dim, since an evening storm is approaching. A stillness settles over the land. My footsteps along the trail have even grown silent in awe of this tranquility. I am mystified at how profound the silence is.
The creek has become very low. I make my way onto a gray slab of rock in the middle of the water that has been exposed, watching tiny fish dart here and there. Soon, I rejoin the trail.
The wind has began to murmur through the treetops. This is the only place that I have been able to observe sound. I watch this sound move toward me, the rustle of the leaves soothing.
Moving along, the sight of lavender buds painted against jade on a gray tree trunk are pleasing to the senses. The grooves on the tree trunk beg me to run my hands down it's texture.
My pace slows even further. Roots emerge from the middle of the trail. I try to find the tree that they lead to, but am unsure. I study the hill to my left and gaze down into the dell on my right, afraid I will miss a miracle.
The curve in the trail ahead draws me with the mystery of what lies around the bend, even though I have traveled this trail many times. The scent of a splintered tree trunk reaches me. I am enjoying this solitude so.
The sky has become eerily dark. The stillness much more present now than before. Raindrops began to kiss my skin. The rush of wind has become my steady companion. In this rush, I hear the mountain murmuring that it is time for me to go, before it becomes unsafe. Heeding it's warning, I turn away, but not before whispering ~ thank you ~ for the protection and peace that is has graced me with this day.
