Walk Away

I see that you are ready

 Backpack on

 Water-bottle filled

 Compass clipped to your belt loop

That look in your eyes

    That believes the world is yours to conquer

No fear

No regrets

Only anticipating the glory of the climb

You are ready to walk away

But here is a map

You don’t think you need it, I know

 The path is clearly marked

    Signs posted

        Lookout areas clear

            Some even have benches so you can rest

But the path is always changing

And I have circled areas that are worth leaving the path for

I know you want to do this alone

That you are ready to walk away

I know

I’ve done this climb

I’ve got the scars to prove it

Even though the path is only wide enough for one

You don’t have to climb alone

I’ll conquer this mountain again

  To be there to help as the gravel moves under your foot

    Your hands bracing your fall

    Feeling the pain as the pebbles dig into your palms

    Maybe even drawing blood

I will be there to make sure you don’t slip down the path

    Having to cover the steps again

        Because sometimes the tricky spots

        Keep making us stumble 

Over

And

                       Over

And

Over

Simply because we are alone

The view from the top is beautiful

But somehow more magical when you share it

Be it with one or twenty people

I know you want to walk away

    That your youth craves the adventure

    That I would slow you down

        For my legs are tired from all the treks I’ve traveled

    But there are lookouts

        Where I can rest while you adventure off the path

        Finding your own adventures

But always together

    We can climb

    And share the view

        And the pride of conquering this mountain

Because there will come a time when my legs won’t carry me

When you will even need to rest

    On a bench to watch your own son

        Walk away...

   

Google Maps

Flying from Lincoln

To Denver

To Phoenix

To Portland

I sat in a window seat

And watched the world go by

It looks nothing like Google maps.

I watched farm land

Rise to mountains

That fell into desert that bled

Into grey rainy weather

But I never saw a bright red line that indicated a state line

Or a small black one to show a county

Or a dotted line for a new time zone

No,

I watched rivers snake across the land,

I watched straighter roads do the same

 At times I could see the vehicles

 Rush with the tide

But instead of division lines

I connected every city

Every town

Every farm house

With the roads that cut across the surface of this country

It would take time,

 But I could walk out my door and see anyone

I found it interesting how easy we are all connected with the things we make

 Roads

 Phones

 Airplane Seats

Yet, the person next to me has nothing to say

 Earbuds are in the way

From 40000 feet

This life doesn't look anything like

Google Maps.