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"Come with me." The older man held out his
hand to grasp the smaller one. "Let's take a
walk."
They stepped down the wooden porch and onto the dirt
path that led to the forest beyond the lea.
"Where are we going, Grandpa?" The little
girl looked up at the man's face.
Sunlight bathed his features. He squinted as he gazed
down at his granddaughter. "We're going on a
visit." His answer finished, he scanned the trail
ahead and nodded to himself.
They entered the woods and cooling shadows enveloped
them. Overhead, birds sang out to the forest and in columns of sunshine, small
creatures scurried from sunlight to shade.
Pine needles and pebbles crunched underfoot as the two
strode in the green, fragrant world of the forest.
A light breeze threaded its way through the trees,
wrapped around the two visitors and the girl shivered. The
man took note. "Let's find a place to sit down.
There's something I want you to see."
In a clearing, drenched in a swath of amber light, was
a handful of large boulders. "Let's stop here,"
the man suggested, as he climbed a rock that was smooth
and flat on top. The girl let go her Grandfather's hand
and they both settled down on the stone, side by side.
The girl stretched her legs out in front of her, leaned
back on her hands and looked up into the bright, blue sky
overhead. "Grandpa, who are we going to visit?
Someone who lives here?"
"Yes. You have to be quiet and pay close
attention, though." Her Grandpa's voice held a tone
of wonderment, drawing the girl's gaze from the scudding
clouds and blue sky above to his face. She then searched
the surrounding forest for an abode, a cottage, or a cabin
like her Grandfather's, perhaps.
She could see nothing but trees and ferns, rocks and
fallen leaves. Tall grasses and some Manzanita bushes
crowded together in pockets of sunlight. Maybe the person
they were to visit was hiding behind a tree or boulder,
the girl thought. But no one appeared and the girl's
expression went from curiosity to puzzlement.
"Are we going to where they live?" she
whispered.
"Yes," he replied softly.
The girl stood up and began to step down from the rock.
"We are already there, child. Sit down.
Please." He smiled lovingly at his granddaughter and
motioned for her to take a seat, again, on the rock.
With a sweeping gesture he indicated the woods around
them. "If you are quiet, they will be here
soon."
She inhaled deeply, relaxing her body. She closed her
eyes and noticed how many smells clamored for attention: pine and dry needles, moist
earth and sun-bruised vegetation, wood smoke and
sagebrush. And then she heard it. The footfalls of
something very close.
Her eyes popped open and there in front of them stood a
young doe. Large, dewy eyes locked with the girl's brown
eyes. The girl almost gasped with surprise. The deer
dipped her head, getting a better scent of the two on the
rock. Sensing no danger she began to graze on the grass
nearby.
The man turned to his granddaughter. She met his gaze
and a smile danced across her face. He nodded.
They sat there for the better part of the afternoon and
had many visitors, from scrub jays to squirrels. In the
shadows, a raccoon studied them for a few minutes before
proceeding on and disappearing into the woods. A flock of
wild turkeys spilled out over a rise on a hill and paraded
before them. Clucking and chittering as they grouped and
regrouped, pecking through stones and grass for an
afternoon meal.
It grew colder, as did the boulder upon which they sat.
The man slowly stood up, gesturing for his granddaughter
to join him.
As they worked their way back to the cabin, he began,
"People forget that all things are connected. Our
relationship: our kinship with the earth is ingrained in
us. Yet we have forgotten how deep those ties go; even
though much of how we see ourselves; express ourselves
reflect those same ties."
She considered his words, remaining quiet, not wanting
to miss a word.
"Take for example how we describe our moods and
feelings as stormy, sunny, or down-to-earth. We'll say:
Her face clouded over. Or: He quaked with fear... Their
response was lightning quick... The earth is angry... The
earth is at peace." He stopped, bent down and studied
his granddaughter's face. "Do you see my
meaning?"
She had been looking all around her. When he asked this
her eyes flickered over his face and she nodded.
"Whom did we visit?" she said, grinning, as
she took his hand.
"Who would you say we visited?" he replied as
he straightened.
"We visited with all the creatures that came by to
see us. And we visited God." She gave his hand a
gentle squeeze.
"Yes, we did. We spent time with nature and
God--all in one visit."
"I'm glad we did. Thank you, Grandpa. I liked
visiting God this way. I'll bet all the animals and trees
live there so they can visit with God anytime they want...
May we come back?"
He lovingly held her tiny hand in his with pride.
"Of course."
© 2003 Kathy Anne Harris
bluebelliedlizard @ earthlink.net
Used with written permission.
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Kathy's website:
http://mistdrifter.tripod.com/ToShareWithYou.html
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