The Trading Post

We were supposed to meet at the old trading post just off a gravel back road. He never showed up. Maybe I was ignorant to think he would be there, but he always was a drifter. My name tag said Barbara, but he called me beautiful. I had been working at a small credit union for five years when I met him. He stole my heart for over a year. I was just a piece of a plan that I let love blind me of.. We always dreamed of running off to some quiet little town like the one I was from. He told me he was from all over the place because his father was in the military. I truly believe that. Unfortunately after that rainy dark night in front of the old trading post, I realized I didn’t know him at all. It’s been over 30 years now since that night. Now I’m sitting across the room from him at a restaurant in Denver. He had barely aged and that smirk still lived on his face. I finally had a chance to confront the man that led me to robbing a bank and spending 20 years in prison.   

Speakeasy Wisdom PArt II

The group of five well spoken humans did not have names.  They embodied mystery and wisdom for the world to learn. They didn’t want to be known because it would cause their mission to become watered down. They all lived in speedster parts of the world, but as the stories passed down, they would meet at a family owned and operated speakeasy in the center of London. They all agreed to meet in London each year to discuss their learnings and what they had seen happening around where they were living. The mission was simple, keep humans standing together as one. The stories of success and failure were shared over a bottle of wine and a few glasses of water. They would start at one person and work their way around the table, letting each other speak freely and without interruption until their turn. It was never once around the table but rather they went around the table sharing until they all agreed to move on. Examples of how governments were being ran, farming success and even local small village politics and were talked about. They traded ideas and lessons of past experiences to help one another share this information with the people around them. It’s unknown when this speakeasy meeting of the minds started, but the legend tells of multiple generations within families graced that private room in the back of a London speakeasy. The last names of the individuals have remained behind a vail of mystery throughout time and we may never know, but we do know they were giving all of their effort in order to change the world for the better.  

Survivors

Every now and again the planet experiences difficult times. There is no ranking to those times or debate on what time was the worst to live through. We are tested mentally and physically. The only common denominator is that we, as humans, have survived. Survival through difficult times comes with a price to pay. Outside of Mother Nature, we created some of those difficult times. We created the potential ignition to the difficult times with ego and the chase for power over one another. We may never see these tendencies change within ourselves, but that doesn’t mean we just give up. It will never be perfect because perfection is a never ending road that has no real destination. But every human is capable of small gestures that leave a positive impact. We owe it to the survivors to try. Because that’s truly what we are and what we all have in common regardless of individual circumstance. 

Rocks and Mushrooms

If you travel far enough north, there is a cliff overlooking the tops of trees as far as the I can see. It’s a difficult journey to the top, but it’s worth every step. Hidden trails and windy curves reveal the magic that surrounds you. The remains of the mine that once ruled the area still stand. Not much was left behind when it shut down, but what was left behind can paint a picture of what a once busy site looked like. Loud equipment and thousands of people once filled this quiet and peaceful forest on the cliff side. Discarded rocks fill the forest floor where trees now grow on top of. A wide array of mushrooms live here now and acorns that seem to fall from the sky. As you wonder through this universe, there seems to never be a dead end. A person could spend a lifetime on these cliffs, but may never see everything it has to offer. When you get to the top and look out at the vastness of trees and land, it makes you realize how truly small we are within this world. It also can remind you to never stop exploring because there is history and nature to see all around us. It’s hard to imagine this place being busy and abundant with human life as for now the forest has reclaimed its home once again.

Shadows

Slow and steady movements. No quick turns. Caution is his middle name. Hiding behind the trees and rocks while trying to remain hidden from sight. He’s most comfortable in the shadows and light brings chaos towards him. He seeks darkness in order to find his inner light. No flashlights, but rather finding his way through sound and touch. It’s a wild life to navigate, but for him it’s peace amongst the madness that comes if he is seen. It’s prepossessing to want the spotlight in order to see what is ahead and he reaches for it every now and then to see if the experience has evolved. Dreaming of light while hiding in the darkness. 

Sinking Realization 

Trapped or frozen, pick your poison. She feels both of her feet sinking beneath her as her shoes begin to disappear. Buy this, buy that, subscribe here. It’s almost as if everywhere she turns it costs money to even walk in that direction. It’s all weighing her down to the point of not remembering what life was like when she could roam freely. As she sat there, sinking further and further into the mud of bills and responsibilities, she remembered that it cost zero dollars to look out the window and gaze upon the clouds. She thought of the walks with her dogs and laying in the yard on a hot summer day. It was there that she finally realized that not everything requires a dollar in order to remain fulfilled in your daily life. The mud she was stuck in evaporated and she was now wondering about the sidewalk looking for new things to experience. 

Home 

Let’s run away and not only look back but come back. Always on the move was where she felt at home. Roots never sank deep enough for the tree to grow. She wanted a life on the road, but loved where she came from. She spent years living elsewhere and bouncing from town to town until she would get sick of being on the run. She felt as if she failed by turning the wheel towards home again. But one day as she sat on an old stump off a trail she just hiked for hours, she had an idea. Home base. What’s wrong with a home base? A place to call home even after years or months of not being there. All she ever really needed was a home and a full tank of gas to take her on an adventure throughout this beautiful world and now she had finally stumbled upon the truth. Home did not have to be somewhere you never leave but somewhere that you can always come back to regardless of where you’re at.

Seasons 

Sam watched the tree’s change colors as an old season made way for a new season to begin. The colors were bright and deserved the attention of all who passed by them. The trees final showcase of what it’s capable of doing. He grabbed his camera as he slammed the door behind him. Everyday the trees are colorful is a good day for his camera to catch the stunning views that Mother Nature creates during this time of year. It’s some of the last color you’ll see for a few months, and boy does she go all out to display her best versions before everything turns white.  He spends the fall season searching for the best overview of the magical trees. His favorite season is rapidly coming to an end, but when the white stuff falls from the sky and blankets his part of the world, it’s just as breathtaking. Once again, he will grip his camera in one hand and a coffee in the other as he catches snowflakes falling from the sky. For a split second, everything is okay with the world in his peaceful fall trance. 

Her smile

Darkness grew by the minute. Latching onto everything in its path. As it inches ever so closely towards me, I start to remember the light. The warmth and welcoming essence of light. I may never get to experience it’s beauty ever again. They say the darkness is one of the hardest journeys to come back from. I know once the shadows consume me, I’ll never get back. As the river of black waters approach, I remember her. Her eyes and smile fill my thoughts and soon the blackness fades and light fills the room once again.