WHILE STROLLING DOWN RURAL WALKWAYS ON SUMMER DAYS, YOU WILL HEAR NATURES BEAUTIFUL MELODIES INTERMINGLING WITH THE SOUNDS OF OUR SO CALLED CIVILIZED WAYS.

IT WAS ON ONE SUCH DAY THAT THESE SOUNDS TOOK ME INTO A PLACE OF REFLECTION.

I HEARD THE SOUND OF A FROGS CROAK, MY EYES AND EARS STRAINING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE, THE KID IN ME WANTED TO STOP AND FIND THE FROG, THE MAN INSIDE SAID “WE’RE TOO OLD FOR THAT”, THE MAN PREVAILED OF COURSE!

I WATCHED A GARTER SNAKE SLITHER THROUGH THE GRASS, I STARTED TO FOLLOW BUT A BARRIER HELD ME BACK, “WE’RE ON OUR LUNCH BREAK, HAVE TO EAT QUICK AND GET BACK TO WORK, WE HAVE NO TIME FOR THAT”!


I SAW A TRAIL IN THE WOODS, LEADING TO A FOREST OF LARGE TREES JUST RIGHT FOR CLIMBING, I YEARNED TO TAKE THE TRAIL AND EXPLORE BUT JUST NOW WOULD BE BAD TIMING.

ALL THE CAREFREE CHILDHOOD EXPLOITS, ARCHIVED IN MY MEMORY BANKS AS DISTANT PAST. ON THIS DAY ALL THOSE RECOLLECTIONS CAME RUSHING BACK.

REMEMBERING THE POND IN THE BACK OF MY GRANDMAS HOUSE, FULL OF LIFE, MINNOWS, TADPOLES, FROGS SURROUNDED BY ALL TYPES OF TREES. AS IF I WHERE STILL THERE, I RECALLED EVEN LESS THAN PERFECT DETAILS LIKE BEING ATTACKED BY A NEST OF BEES.

THE LAND WAS FULL AND FERTILE, YOU COULD GET LOST AND STILL BE HOME, SOMETIMES MY COUSINS AND I PLAYED THE MOST FANTASTIC GAMES OF HIDE AND SEEK, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT I LIKED TO BE ALONE.
THE SOLITUDE, THE PEACE, THE ONENESS WITH NATURE. I CRAVED IT, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT, THE TREES THE POND THE PLANTS ALL OF IT, I SAVORED IT.

IT SOOTHED ME, KEPT ME CALM, GAVE ME A FEELING OF TRUE FREEDOM
FEELINGS THAT NOW ARE SO FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, WHEN MOST OF ALL

I NEED THEM.

IN THIS RAT RACE GAME WE PLAY OF ADULTHOOD, RESPONSIBILITY AND ALL ITS ISSUES, I FIND MYSELF WISHING I COULD TAKE A BRIEF STEP BACK TO A MORE CAREFREE TIME, AHH YOUTHFUL ABANDON, I MISS YOU!

I THINK I’LL CALL IN SICK TOMORROW, AND INDULGE IN A BIT OF REMINISCENCE, MAYBE EVEN GO HIKING ON SOME MAN MADE TRAIL AND TRY TO CAPTURE A MOMENT OF THAT OLD ESSENCE.

I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK RIGHT NOW, LUNCH IS JUST ABOUT OVER, TIME TO PUNCH IN FINISH MY SESSION
BUT TOMORROW I PLAN TO TAKE THE DAY AND FULLY INDULGE IN A MOMENT OF

REFLECTION

From The Pen
Elijah H. Muied

©2007