New Beginning, New Day

Climbing The Mountain

You watch the climber in the distance,

so far ahead of where you are at,

your pace is relaxed and gentle.

The climber with sweat dripping down his blue tank top,

has one foot off the side of the mountain,

you watch as he struggles to keep his balance,

holding your breath you stop moving,

closing your eyes for a brief minute to pray for his safety.

After the Amen you open your eyes to find he has vanished.

Frantic feelings of helplessness feed your fear,

you look from left to right but he is gone,

without even a shadow shimmering in the distance.

Suddenly a cool breeze hugs your arms making you shake,

little hard bumps appear on your arms,

reminding you of the gravel you are standing on.

Feeling sad you bend down,

holding the small pebbles of slightly different colors in your hands,

you watch them go in and out of the cracks of your fingers.

There is an empty space in your mind

where you had began to think that bravery was real,

It existed every time he took a step towards the top,

now he was gone, so was your courage.

At the same time your tears trickle to the ground,

wetting a small cluster of earth you just had held in your palms,

you feel a strong but polite tap on your shoulder,

the climber a bit dirty with stains of the earth on his skin,

and a cut above his knee that was already starting to scab over,

he looks at you and asks you if he can pass ahead.

You think for a moment,

shake your head no and continue on,

starting today the bravery is in you,

Your going to climb the mountain,

It's his turn to watch.