09 April 2010

Mountain, Seen

One foot in front of the other, that is all. Repeat as needed to arrive.

Walking through the seasons: the naive hope of spring, purgatory of summer, bittersweet cool of fall, the numbness of winter. This divine comedy of hope and desperation repeating itself on the great wheel of the year is enough to drive one mad because of its sameness.

But the sameness is what allows survival because it is broadly predictable. Forecasts can be made, prognostications can be ginned up, because of possibilities. They don't always pan out, any one can confirm it, but so much more a Known than the Terrain that must be crossed.

Terrain. A pithy word to encompass all that stands between the Sojourner and Realization. Especially when that Realization is the manifestation of all that is desired. This desire, this object, a Kilimanjaro standing proud of the emotional savanna unfolding before eyes grown weary of the distance involved. Distance being the material manifestation of Time, an unavoidable fact of existence. So much of it...it exists in infinite quantities but only extrinsic to the human containers that enclose all these Thoughts and Feelings seeking to be realized in another outside of themselves.

So the Sojourner keeps walking. It has no choice. Buffeted by sun and rain, beset by the demons and devils of doubt and fear, what other course can be taken, other than to lay down and melt into the Terrain? To forsake everything, succumbing to the minority exhortations of an exhausted, lonely soul?

One foot in front of the other. The path remains before the Sojourner, sometimes strong and true, other times seeming invisible except for a few bent stalks of grass. To stop now, even with the validation of others knowing just how draining the Journeys really are...that is betrayal. Not to the external world, no, but to the Sojourner. 

On the horizon, the flanks of the mountain shimmer in the heat, disappear in the mist, dissolve in the rain...but always remain. Wiping the salty mud from eyes grown sore, the Sojourner keeps walking. The air up there  on the mountain is redolent of green, water runs clear and sweet and a soul can find purchase in the rich, fragrant soil of Love. The Sojourner raises a sunburned head to breathe deep of possibilities. Hints on the wind of what awaits there high in the treeline...

Sustenance. Realization. Love. For these, one foot in front of the other, to get you there.

6 comments:

  1. you are very deeply contemplative lately. that can lead to amazing things. xo

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  2. Given the naive hope of spring, are you calling me naive? All I wanted was some dry, sunny days...

    One foot in front of the other is the only way to do it, especially when you have weather, demons and devils to deal with.

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  3. Weird to read this after just waking up to another mountain dream. Rainy, obscured by fog.
    Get outta my head, Irish.
    Happy Friday, too.

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  4. I wrote about you on my blog. I swiped an idea but I totally gave you credit and a link back to yours. :)

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  5. Trek on, do not betray yourself, but remember to enjoy the beauty of the scenery along the way, dude. There is sustenance, illuminating realization and all kinds of meaningful love along the way to that which you (think) you seek. Often what we are searching, searching, searching for...well, it'll just sound cliche and trite, so I'll shut up. I know you know it anyway.

    This is a well written, lovely piece.

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  6. Wow! I get it but, could never articulate it as well as you do. I come to your blog so that I can find the words to put it all in perspective. Thanks.

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"Let your laws come undone
Don't suffer your crimes
Let the love in your heart take control..."


-'The Hair Song', by Black Mountain

Tell me what is in your heart...