In Circles

Sometimes the wind falls. Screaming and spiraling on the way down in a coniferous furry that sweeps, tears and rips. Sometimes the dirt slides. Grinding, breaking and hammering it's way down. It burns high and mighty. Lashing out furiously at it's creators hand as it scorches, chars and breaks it all down.

 

"Put your ear against it."

 

Brown and jagged, the stiff, dead grass pricked at the face of the young adolescent as he drew closer to the creation. There was a cold touch at first. It felt decayed and rotten. The smell of dirt reminded him of nothing more than the filth that already existed. The touch of the sharpened grass only reminded him of how many have been run through over the years of war and turn based heartache.

 

"What the f**k is this, old man? How is THIS supposed to teach me?"

 

"Child... You are not listening."

 

A smile crossed the face of the elderly man that patiently stood. Waiting, almost as if something in itself were to arise from the dirt any second, pass it's hand and turn the page. Frustration began to course through the young mans veins. He gripped the dying vegetation and clenched his teeth in fury as he began to assume that this was all some simple scheme to make another child look like another fool. He pressed his face into the dirt out of anger as he begged to hear even the slightest sound, the slightest hint, the simplest answer...

 

"F**K YOU OLD MAN!!! What in the hell is this?! Some f*****g sick joke? Are you kidding me? What in the hell am I supposed to hear? Where in the f**k is this goddamn connection?!"

 

Another wrinkled smile.

 

"What do you want it to be, boy? What do you want to hear? Is it an answer you are looking for? It can speak to you as the dogs run throughout the day and as the wolves howl throughout the night but it is up to you to hear it. The question is, do you want to know all it has to say?"

 

Inhale...

 

He wondered what it was like to be truly calm. To have not ultimate control over his environment but over himself.

 

Exhale...

 

He closed his eye slowly, letting his lashes peacefully fall together he began to focus. He could hear the wings flapping, the water rushing and the trees growing. He could see the world in all of it's playful beauty. It seemed magnificent and at that moment the boy felt himself expand into something larger than himself. He saw the world from it's most miniscule perspective. He saw the world for it's largest features and he felt energized. He saw trees decay and mammals draw their last breath as they faded away. But, for every man that fell three of his children farmed the six trees that were the spawn of one. For every beaver that sank below seven of them swam in to hold it all back a little longer. It never ended. It all simply pushed on in this forward trudge without reason, without motive. It all lived simple for the reason.

 

"This is amazing... It never ends."

 

His face grew a familiar grin from ear to ear.

 

"It's beautiful isn't it, old man? But if it will never end... Where am I supposed to go."

 

The only response was the focused silence of the mountains.

 

"Old man?..."

 

As the boy came to his feet scanning the horizon the wind began to hum. The skies cleared and the land came into focus. As the wind picked up speed he found himself protecting his eyes and mouth as an unfamiliar feeling crossed his lips.

 

"Sand?"

 

It was all that remained as far as the eye could see. It spread out like a vast brown ocean that swallowed everything that fell before it. The wind blew harder. In mighty gale force gust it picked the sand up in heaps as it threw it into the sky.

 

"I will help you."

 

The boy began to dig. Shoveling deep into the sand with his fingers as he pulled the miniscule crystals and threw them into the breeze, For years he dug. Without reason, without motive. And as his  time drew near he marveled at what he saw once he his fingers struck the bottom of the abyss. A smile drew across his wrinkled face as he stared down into it. There was nothing more he could ever ask for.

 

"Old man, what are you doing with your face in the grass?"

 

He turned to see a familiar expression of curiosity.

 

"Come closer, boy. Let me show you."