It caught my eye and bid me stay. I knelt and allowed my
body to become quiet. Venturing on, time
to get back to the house, up the path I saw a woman approach. I giggled. Her skin so white in such bright
sun, shorts and a tank top, only her face was protected by her big floppy
hat. As we approached she bellowed “Hello!”
I giggled out loud and bellowed back “Hello.”
She was older than I first thought, at least my age or perhaps a bit
older. She asked if I would mind taking
a picture of her “so she could see” and immediately struck a camera pose. I giggled again, and asked if she would move
to the right just a bit. I wanted the
full strength of the mountain behind her.
She moved and again struck a camera pose. Yet another giggle, I bellowed to her “Now
say ‘It is a glorious day!’” She returned my giggle, her shoulders dropped and
relaxed as her hands lifted to heaven, lifting her face and big floppy hat. “It
is a glorious day!” The camera clicked. Looking in the viewer, she said not a word,
only a sigh. My hands, for some reason,
went to my heart and I bowed, “It is a glorious day. Enjoy.” She looked at me, and with a sigh, her hands
went to her own heart, and she bowed her head, “Yes, it is a glorious day.” And we parted.
As I walked down the path I thought of the flower that bid
me linger. Not really a flower, it was still a bud waiting to unfold. If I had not paused, perhaps the lady and I would not have met. I would have been off the path we traveled
together. I paused again and bowed to
the earth and her rhythm. Nature’s order.
The gentle walk of the seasons. To trust
the pauses and then to walk… it is a
glorious day…I bellowed. I may just have to buy me a big floppy hat.
