The autumn palette cascading across the canopy greets me as I crest the hill that overlooks the still pond. How many times have I ascended this hill, and how many times have I been surprised at what nature bestows upon my eyes? Like a pane of glass, the world is reflected upon that tranquil surface. Green, yellow, orange, and all colors vibrant, spread across the water like that of an oil painting. At times, the reflection seems out of place, as if I have been drawn into the trappings of a fey like world, where autumn is in continuous resplendence. It is here that I reflect upon what has passed, and what must come.
The walk to the pond is mindless, my eyes captured by the rippling waves within the mirror. A single tree stands, bowing before the shore, offering its leaves of red and brown to the goddesses that reside within this sanctuary. Time, as it exists, comes to a standstill as I gaze into the reflection. My mind drifts to far off places, far off times, to landscapes that only the sun's rays have touched. No sound exists within this portal as nature's bounty unfolds herself before me. Though I am a stranger, I am familiar to her. Like a lost lamb wandering the hillside looking for its flock, I am drawn back into her embrace as if I had never left.
The pines part way to allow me to travel underneath their soaring canopies. Through green needles cascades warm crimson light, blessing the forest with radiance from the heavens. The silhouettes meander through the pillars of light, dancing to a silent orchestra conducted by the wind. In a clearing, my eyes are drawn to a tower of sculpted stone. Green vines and ivory flowers climb its delicate curves, accentuating the grace and beauty of the meticulously cut stone. Rising like a titan above me, stands the form of Gaea. Her beauty shows through the weathered rock as she stands alone, holding court among the towering pines and clear blue sky. A placid pond in awe behind her. Not a blade of grass stirs in her presence.
Painted buntings fly overhead, moving towards the tunnel of vines and branches up ahead. My presence does not seem to be noticed by them as they chirp quietly among the twisting vines, their vibrant colors standing out among the sea of deep green flora. It is within that the shadows have full reign. A stunning silence takes hold of my being as my mind wraps through the narrow pathway afforded to me by nature. Not life or death, but a continuous cycle is laid out before me. Light and shadow mingle among the branches and the hanging lilies making everything whole. Everything complete.
The path winds down towards the pond, the whippoorwills burst forth with me from the forest, scattering among the tall grass that guards the edge of the water. It is within these waters that I see not what came before me, or what lies ahead of me, but what presently is. Looking out over the profound waters into the ever flowing bounty of life, I feel a sense of deep reverence for the time that I am allowed to experience such a miracle, and my eyes are transported back to that tranquil pond, its glass surface still unchanged.
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