The Serenity Within

I took my time to get someplace today.

I breathed deeply, slowed my steps,
Let the rest of the world rush around me:
An island in a river.
I cast my eyes skyward rather than watching my feet
And instead of seeing tread, tread, tread,
I absorbed the depth of the refreshing, watery sky
the saturation of the trees
the slant of light against russet brick
the pine-dappled shadows on a floor of grass
the sunlight through the leaves
like stained glass
the sunlight through stained glass
greeen blue white red
I paused along the path to take a souvenir:
An acorn hat, empty.
I let myself smile and open doors
And felt a new connection with the strangers who passed through.
At the end of my journey
I stopped to admire the architecture of my destination,
to savor the last moments of my freedom
and to feel the new serenity within.

The Serenity Within

Writings