Waikiki Embraces

I have walked past this tree millions of times.

But this time I saw the roots embracing the plants like loving arms.

This time I saw the heart shape.

Do you see it?

"Our task must be to free ourselves...

by widening our circle of compassion

to embrace all living creatures

and the whole of nature and its beauty."

Albert Einstein

Walking on, I noticed this embrace . . . of flotsam & garbage. . .

"You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest

that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present,"

Jan Glidewell

I knew that I was onto the perfect theme for this post. . .

I was on the lookout for more embraces. This feather was a hint

leading me to my next picture. . .

"A discerning eye needs only a hint.

and understatement leaves the imagination free

to build its own elaboration."

Russell Page

The love-doves.

Coooo!

And there my little doves did sit With feathers softly brown And glittering eyes that showed their right To general "And there my little doves did sit

With feathers softly brown

And glittering eyes that showed their right

To general Nature's deep delight."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

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"Love...It surrounds every being

and extends slowly to embrace all that shall be."

Kahlil Gibran

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I have been walking for years:

Across the living room carpet,

down the street,

through the woods & fields of childhood.

My brother and I

once walked to a family friend's home in a neighboring town.

She looked past us at her door for my mother parking the car.

"You WALKED?!"

Mom had to come and pick us up that time.

Walking to school one day

I realized that one anonymous day of school

was not as worthy

as the amazing day I'd have

if I took public transportation

and walked around

"downtown"

(Thank you Petula Clark)

and I still do remember

that single magic day.

Remember that movie:

"Run Lola Run?"

I often felt as if I were in a movie

as I visited my numerous secret city places.

The streets, back alleys, and buildings

became my especial friends.

They never teased, or yelled at me.

My movie's locations have changed over the years:

New York City streets, New Hampshire's high meadows.

I traversed new realities

mediated by yearning, stress, and "enhancers."

I walked around Woodstock,

hitchhiked from Toronto to Montreal to Boston

(which involved a lot of walking).

Uptown, Downtown,

from adolescence

to "maturity."

My elderly grandmother was a great walker too.

Sometimes she is with me as I walk,

especially as I become

companionably older.

Now I'm walking Waikiki:

Low and High and out to sea,

'neith seas of skies

sailed by cumulus ships.

I walk along the sacred street;

Walking as usual

into the unknown.

Thank YOU

for walking with me!

ALOHA, cloudia