Photo by Highlander
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The trees were bare, the ground was slick, and twilight creeped earlier every day. I'd long overstayed my welcome. I had even used the rain as an excuse to wait until evening to leave. Looking at Alex walking next to me was chore, trying to dam up the words in my mouth. Not that I ever had to say anything to him. He often knew just want I wanted to say, but he'd make me find the words anyway. But I wasn't going to look for them. I couldn't stay any longer, with my own responsibilities at home, and the second semester almost over. I knew if I stayed to see these trees glistening with ice and Christmas lights I'd never leave. Stopping a few meters from the bend, I unearthed my camera from my bag. Alex didn't say anything as I took three pictures. One of the house behind us. One of him, looking at me. And one of the road ahead.
~ I.N.Kwell
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9 comments:
The suggestion of color may pop
through the twilight.
The hint of renewal may whisper
through the cool breeze.
Extract all other thoughts and allow the senses to lead this stroll.
What a grand day it's been. As we walk along the rain washed path toward home, you reach your arm around my shoulder. Could it have turned out any better? No. It was perfect. I breathe in the fresh air, the clean scent that only comes at the end of a rain. I can feel your full and happy heart.
septembermom... welcome to PP&P. What a beautiful offering, such a simple reminder given so well to take it all in.
shabby... you captured how this photo made me feel so wonderfully. I could just imagine strolling down this street holding my love's hand. I love that last line... I can feel your full and happy heart. Beautiful.
My new chapter and I had the chance to take our first walk at twilight last night. It was ineffable and fantastic all rolled into one. We live in the northern Rockies, and the mountain ranges we can see from our house stood majestic and snow-caped against the backdrop of a perfect winter sky. Our big sky was all shades of blue, purple, pink, and orange with a few white, scraggly clouds bringing out the white chill of the snow around us. The air was crisp enough to make our eyes water, sharpening our view of the surrounding beauty, but not crisp enough to deter us from our quest. We had just missed the alpen glow, but it didn't really matter; the sky and mountains were still magnificent in those few moments before the sun slipped completely below the horizon.
As we walked down to the hill overlooking town and the three surrounding mountain ranges-- the hill where I've had most of my solo, starry-night walks, we chatted, confided, shared, laughed, hugged, cried a little, and took a few steps deeper into our relationship. We had our first Montana Moment together as we stood silently on top of the hill, hand-in-hand, ready to take on the world as a team, and feeling support from the mountains around us and encouragement from the horizon before us. Standing in that spot at that moment with this person made the current state of affairs feel a lot lest bleak.
The trees were bare, the ground was slick, and twilight creeped earlier every day. I'd long overstayed my welcome. I had even used the rain as an excuse to wait until evening to leave. Looking at Alex walking next to me was chore, trying to dam up the words in my mouth. Not that I ever had to say anything to him. He often knew just want I wanted to say, but he'd make me find the words anyway. But I wasn't going to look for them. I couldn't stay any longer, with my own responsibilities at home, and the second semester almost over. I knew if I stayed to see these trees glistening with ice and Christmas lights I'd never leave. Stopping a few meters from the bend, I unearthed my camera from my bag. Alex didn't say anything as I took three pictures. One of the house behind us. One of him, looking at me. And one of the road ahead.
In the winter here we go to work in the dark and walk home in the dark and the streets are known almost as much by how hard they are to climb or how trecherous slippy they are in the ice as they are for their walls and features.
The night is my world, the darkness is something I love, it concentrates everything - your footfalls, the echos off the stone walls - walls which radiated heat in the day but now suck cold towards them. The sheer joy of two dim lights with their warm pools seperating the dark but not removing it, unlike the amber burned mess that is a city centre with its washed out sky.
When spring hints she is coming and I walk in the dusk rather than the dark, the familiar suddenly surprises me. Like noticing your best friend has grey hair for the first time - when did that happen? When did they paint the lamposts? Who put that sign up? Who changed my world?
I know many wont venture out at night, it is not always safe, it is sometimes cold, it is not lit, but it is special, and it is good to have two worlds to experience every year.
I stood waiting, watching
He said 6:30
I waited, I held my breath
I heard the echo
of footsteps off the stone walls
I waited, I closed my eyes
He said 6:30
The echo of footsteps
off stone walls, I held my breath
I opened my eyes
He said 6:30
I waited, he kissed me at 6:32
My heart pounds with every step. Why did I take this unfamiliar path home? I hear footsteps behind me. Is someone there? I can't breath. Will anyone hear me if I scream? He's getting closer. What will he do? I have nowhere to hide. What do I do?? RUN!
Walking along thinking about the day that has passed me, I realize that the sun is just about gone. The street lights are beginning to form the light into the darkness of my foot steps.
I look up ahead, tasting the night air approaching and I begin to fear the shadows that lurk around me.
I don't like being out in the dark; it creates a fear in my heart that I cannot control. I hurry along trying not to allow the fear to set in, trying to walk blindly through the tunnel of it.
I feel as though someone is watching me, like someone is a step behind me trying to catch up...trying to scare me. I begin to walk more quickly, hearing a rustling in the bushes as I approach.
The rustling stops and there is a small cat trembling at my feet. I look down at her and she looks so scared. She mew's at me and I pick her up. I continue walking, trying to soothe her fearful body. She begins to purr, snuggling tightly to me as I hold her in my arms. She's so young.
I wonder what frightened her; there were no dogs in sight. I didn't see any people around or even any noise tonight. It's been so quiet and calm. What could have startled her?
It was then that I stepped up onto my front step; with that final thought, I realized this little kitten and I were alike. There was not a thing to have created the trembling fear inside of us, just the sense of being alone in the darkness.
"Come in with me, little kitty. You and I need each other."
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