Wilderness Found

A path new to these soles
Carefully stepping through freshly fallen leaves

Purposefully uncovering stones
Unwrapping them from their package of leaves and trail
Admiring them as every one a rough cut diamond
Placing each back to the leaves as gently as I lay him in his bed

Holding on to one with small but firm hands steady
Yet still fresh to this world

Somewhere here is the source from which we came
In the care given a stone
A child’s youthful realization
Breathing life to inanimate earth to show the spirit within

An unencumbered wandering in this wilderness
Innate compassion for this earth
Through this sense of place and awe

A wonder encouraged feeds the root of it all

Let us not foster fear fueling the fire of souls lost in the wilderness
For to wander and to be lost are two completely separate things
We are all in the wilderness

He saved a stone for when we reached the pond that broke into view
A stone held tight as if in prayer
Thrown to the water
Enlightening the stillness
And breathing life as a talisman tossed