A Walk in the North Woods
Went for a walk on Sunday Oct 9th about 3PM in the afternoon. The wind was rustling the tall pines. I stood on the narrow spit of sand at the edge of the lake. The air was cool, giving hint of frost after sunset. A breeze lapped the lake surface; creating a big plate of diamonds dancing with liquid light. I leisurely walked, following the faint 
outline of an animal path curving through the pines parallel to the water line. I heard rumor of a black bear in the neighborhood. Perhaps the bear and I will meet on the path and exchange pleasantries. Both of us would have this fine day in common. I admired my immediate surroundings, the springiness of pine needle carpet and moss underfoot. This is 
the realm of organic matter, the living as well as the dead and decaying: the cycle of life. Reality here is conceived as a circle, a reciprocal return. A stand of pines grew tall, reaching for the life giving light above the canopy of hardwoods. Maples are blazing red and yellow. Light and temperature change, inflection points signaling the time of return, of dying and release.
All of this I observe. Yet there is no standing apart from the great dance. For is humans, the challenge is not to miss a step, not to insist on being an exception. But to gracefully join keeping rhythm with the tune.
