“Give her a challenge” is what he said.
“Accepted” is what she said.
Some steps took little effort, as if flying a few centimeters above the ground, listening to the wind whirling through the tops of the trees so far away. Even big, bounding steps felt gloriously invigorating; pushing me onward and forward. The cool breeze and warmth of the sun wrapped me in a wrap of lightness.
Until the smallest of steps became a heaviness I could barely carry any longer. It was then I would bow my head and glance up only once in awhile. Best to keep your head to the ground and exert as little energy as possible. Make friends with the rocks, the dirt and the tree roots marking your path. They are ancient and here for you.
And back and under and around the same but different bend. Here is the freshness of a blue-green moss and there is the solemn death of a tree by fire or disease. I remember Tay speaking on seeing the universe in a tree – the water, the earth, the sun. There are life cycles surrounding me in this present moment.
The dirt on my legs feels sacral and the scent of pine balances the metallic taste of blood. My own sweat disappears only as my skin re-absorbs it as a salve. I don’t want to wash it off. I appreciate the smell of my work, the blisters and the thin layer of dusty saltiness on my lips. May the dust seep into my skin through the epidermal of protection to transform into the tiny universe inside of me. I keep the dust.