Prayer

I walk this trail like years before
But, of course, for the first time.
The rocks underfoot make the ground shift beneath me.
Pray to steady myself.

At times the path is treacherous.
The cliff so close,
Then falling off.
Pray for my balance to hold.

Mountains and trees soaring skyward.
Deep ravine cuts below.
I am dizzy with my smallness.
As I breathe in the vastness,
The enormity of what surrounds me,
I refocus on the footfall ahead.

Isn’t it something?
The beauty in a fallen tree.
Branches resting.
Roots exposed.
Slowly returning to earth.
Essence seeping back into soil,
Making fertile ground.
And, the trunk that now lays across the stream
Creates a bridge for those coming after us.

At times, I’ve found, the way unclear.
Lost, directionless, unsure.
But, when I get very still and look closely,
The path is there ahead of me.
Maybe just a small hint.
A sign.
A thread that connects from where I am
To where I’m going to be.

Trusting the universe to guide me,
The branches clear.
The next step on the path reveals itself.

Do not be afraid.
Go forth with bravery.
Boldly walk where the trail is leading,
Even when clarity is obscured.
Even when your foot slips.
Even when you fall down.
In the silence of the forest, I hear your words.