It was a sun filled day, accompanied by a soft summer breeze that blew through the mountain valley. I had awakened early that morning for some reason. I looked at the clock on the stand by my bed and the time was just after six. The sun was already sucking the early morning dew from nature's bed. I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and gazed at the reflection that came back to me. The weary wrinkles that covered my face told of the years that my body had outlasted. The silver gray beard was a sign of my aging that I had long ago accepted. Life had been hard on me and yet I had no complaints at all. I never thought of the past as what could have been nor did I look into the future and hope for what would be.
I had retired years ago but had not slowed down any at all. Sitting idle was not something that I could handle as I kept myself busy around the house. I had prided myself in that house that had been passed to me through the family. I pondered for a minute wondering what would happen to it when I was gone. I was sure that my will had it covered but could not rightfully remember exactly. I made my way into the kitchen where I turned on the water and filled the tea kettle to heat some water. Soon the kitchen was full of the aroma of a small diner. The scent of frying bacon and eggs, hot coffee brewing and toast filled the air. I always made sure to eat a hardy breakfast, not wanting to spend the day listening to the grwoling of hunger pains as they roamed through my stomach.
As I sat there eating, I decided it was way too nice of a day to spend doing chores so I decided I would go for a hike. I jotted a quick note to leave on the table in case something happened and the family needed to find me. I knew just the place to go too. I finished cleaning up from breakfast and soon was in my truck headed off to my favorite trail. I parked my car so that the afternoon shade would keep it as cool as possible from the bright summer sun's rays. I turned and grabbed my pack from the back and slung it over my shoulder. Inside were all the necessities of survival if the need should ever arise. I slung the pack onto my shoulders and locked up the vehicle. I stopped long enough to gaze upward at the sun in the sky before starting my way into the woods along the trail. The trail started gradual, sliding over exposed roots and rocks.
I carefully made my way along the trai, sidestepping the places that water had pooled and turned it into mud. I had always enjoyed hiking in the mountains around where I lived as they always held a surprise for me. I was feeling really tired that day for some reason as I hiked slower then usual. It was not long before the trail steepened and the going got harder. I was now pulling on trees along the path to help me work my way along. Sweat covered my brow and soaked into the thin cotton shirt I had worn. My breathing was becoming heavier as I moved, blaming some of it on the lessening of oxygen as I went higher up the mountain side. I stopped and opened my canteen and took a deep swig of water before continuing along my way. I was now walking along a bubbling brook, watching it cascading down over the rocks that it had itself smoothed over time.
My heart was rapidly beating now and a pain developed in my side. I looked for a place to rest, finding one under a large blue spruce that had grown by the trail. I removed my pack and slouched down against the tree and leaned my head back, closing my eyes. I listened to the animals making their sounds as they frolicked and ran through the woods around me. Listening to these noises always relaxed me. I pullled my legs up towards me and wrapped my knees in my arms. I could hear the lonely sound of the woodpecker as he searched for his next morsel of food. Two squirrels seemingly played a quick game of tag, running through the leaves, darting up and don the trees as they went. All was peaceful as usual and yet something felt very different to me today. I concentrated on it for a minute trying to figure it out before giving it up as a lost cause.
I stood and started on my hike upward again, watching the trail as it twists and turns around even larger rocks now. The trees around me were smaller now as the higher altitude did not allow them to grow in diameter, as fast as those deep in the valley floor. I wiped the sweat from my brow as the sun beat down on me. My breathing was getting shallower as I stopped for my mid day meal of a sandwich, piece of fruit and a cool drink of mountain water from the nearby brook. I lowered my pack to the ground under a small maple that would make a perfect resting pole for my back. I walked over to the river's edge and looked into the sparkling clean water, seeing my reflection as it bounced back to me. The wrinkles on my skin looked deeper and my eyes seemed to have sunk back into their hollows. I heard the lonely scream of the red tailed hawk as it circled somewhere overhead.
I reached down for a cup of water, feeling the coolness of nature's nectar as it flowed past. My hand trembled slightly as I pulled the cup to my lips and took a small sip. I waited for a few minutes and then took another before refilling my cup and returning to my resting spot. I opened my pack and took out my sandwich and fruit, devouring it without any problem. The cup of water was also soon gone and I leaned my head back against the tree and closed my eyes.I heard the rustle of the leavces as squirrels played, imagining all the animals coming by to spend some time with me. I could see the mighty stag standing nearby, silhouetted by the bright sun behind him. A doe and her yearling quietly walkingdown the trail, stopping to look at me before they moved on. I imagined a large grey squirrel coming up to me and taking food from my hand, sitting there eating with me. All these wwere memories I had of previous walks I had undertaken in my life.
Suddenly my vision turned gray and I could see the silhouette of my father and grandfather there before me. They stood there smiling at me in a way I had never seen. My father reached his arm outward towards me and motioned for me to come to him. I was unaware of what all this was meaning until I felt a drawing feeling from inside my body. Slowly and quietly I could feel my soul as it was being pulled from me. My breathing became heavier now and my heart was pounding. I knew then what that feeling had been earlier. This was to be my last walk into the woods. I would take my last breath in a place where I had always cherrished, out amongst nature's beauty. My body went limp and no more breaths did I take from that moment on as I watched my soul pass into the heaven's to be welcomed and comforted by the ones I had loved.
(C) Tall Mountain Dreamer September 21, 2007
