Mountain Meditation

I reach the base of the mountain. I look up and whisper, “I am here, show me the way.” I’ve hiked these trails a hundred times, sometimes with no destination in mind. Today I go where the mountain leads me. I climb, settling into a rhythm. With each step my worries lessen and my tensions release. I am in the moment. I notice nature’s gifts all around me. A snake’s intricate tracks wind and turn across the trail. A bird flies overhead, the breed unrecognizable and undeniably magnificent. The tall, dry blades of grass crackle as the wind sweeps through them, causing me to pause as I take in nature’s sweet music.

I merge onto a familiar unmarked trail. I feel like I’m floating as the fresh air consumes me. I climb to a rock, its surface is rough and jagged except where I choose to rest.  Perched on the ledge, the hills above and below, I watch the fog mystically fade away. I close my eyes and hear birds calling out and bugs buzzing by. The sun comforts me, the breeze awakens me. I am still, if only for a moment. I am still.

Written 9/26/2012 while hiking Mt. Burdell