The Road Less Traveled

To my north there is a front moving in and the road is smooth, albeit long. It traverses for miles and miles and that's just from what I can see.

To my east is where I've come. And nowhere I'd be interested in going back to.

To my south is clear skies. Wildflowers blooming on either side of the road. Windmills line the horizon and the breezes calm my nerves when I look down it.

To my west is neither ominous nor familiar. It's not clear or cloudy. It's not vacant or occupied. It's just a road. A road that leads somewhere.... or nowhere. It's lethargic at worst. And empty to the notion of somewhere you'd like to go or somewhere you'd die to avoid.

Where to turn... where to turn....

Standing in the middle of this intersection I realize that if there is a front coming from the north... it's best to wait out the on coming storm that is destined to be with the front. I see a shack just south of me and run to it as the winds pick up. I struggle to muscle the door shut behind me. Inside my sanctuary I think to myself... why am I here?

When did I embark on this adventure? Why didn't I die out there? The birds knew it wouldn't have been long before I passed out and then it would have been a matter of time before I'd kick the bucket.

The walls of the depleted old shack were shaken violently by the winds of this storm. I pushed out onto the walls trying to give it some extra bracing. The storm hit and I don't remember a whole lot. The walls separated at the seems of the wooden slats it was made of. I rose in the air. Then... static...................

Flashes of lights, flashes of roaring thunder, flashes of hailstones. The misery seemed to echo on for eternities at a time as I tried to get the dull ringing from my ears.

I lay amidst the wildflowers on the banks of the southern road. The sun splattered across my face, I knew where I was but I don't remember getting there. I tried to move but I couldn't. I felt the ground risen up around me. I must have been thrown into the ground. How bad a storm was this?

The flowers surrounding me don't look the same that they did before the storm. They had fermented. They were all dying. They were starting to stink. I crane my neck out of the muck I'm stuck in and see that most the flowers are sprawled everywhere even across the road. Oh the fragile beauty.

I lay my head back down and stare at the clear blue skies with this death all around me. The entire event was a bit offensive.. being forced to lay out with this stench of death that seemed to stem more from me than my surroundings. The clouds pass for hours. And the sun saunters across the sky until it's out of my sight. The sun set without any warning that day. The bones in my body felt strong enough but my will was keeping me on my back. I had no hope of escaping this wilderness. Who knows how long I had been gone for? Had anybody even noticed? I wasn't pleading for attention. I wasn't even escaping. Why has this happened?

I heard footsteps going down the road to my left. I craned my neck up and saw him walking towards me.

"There you are." said the voice with a smile. "I can't tell you where I've been looking for you." I tried and tried and tried to match the voice but nothing came to mind. He reached me in the grass and grabbed my hand. I was doubtful but with the touch of his hand I was on my feet.

I stood back a second to gain a perspective on who I was looking at. A man, kind face, big smile. Nice button up shirt, not buttoned. White shirt underneath, white shirt on top. Jeans. No shoes. He was back on the road in a second of getting me to my feet.

"Well?" He said, like he was waiting for me to explain myself.

"Thanks.' I said to him. "But I don't...."

"Yes.. I know you even though you don't know me." He interrupted....

"Who are you that you come and bring be out of my pit and place my feet back on the ground?" I asked him.

"It really doesn't matter, in the long run. You will know me but a glance into eternity. That's the requirement of you and the tragedy of being me." The man replied.

"N..."

"Are you coming or not? I don't have all day to be waiting out in these fields..." He smiled as he stopped me before I started.

I stepped foot onto the road and my muscles were weak. I winced with pain as I was so sore. "Have heart, you will make it back, I know these roads more than you don't know who I am." His encouragement made me laugh a little bit. But spoke miracles in my body. I stood up straight and closed my eyes as I walked next to him.

"Seriously though who are you?" I asked like I was in a dream.

"Open your eyes..." a whispered voice told me as I opened my eyes. I was by myself again. "Turn around.... " I turned as the voice told me.

The man was walking ahead due north. Arms outstretched and singing. Picking up the wildflowers as he went.

I decided to follow Him.

"Love Love Love...."