The whispering breeze flows against my face
and the coolness of the air calls to me of night
The scent of the trees, losing their warmth from the heat of the day
and the taste of a moist air current off of the lake
All of these hints telling me where I am

Circumstance has tied my hands
A nebulous future blindfolds me
I hear the tree frogs and the crickets
Never have I felt so alive, never felt so afraid
I stand naked in a maze of decision
hedges of indecision surrounding my paths

I feel your presence there beside me
Watching my every step through days ahead
Keeping me safe as I stumble my way through
Allowing the pebbles to bruise my feet, the sun to heat my skin
But warding against the dangers of hunger, thirst....perilous falls
I know you will be there if the road becomes unbearable
Guiding me back to the beginning to start anew

Silently you watch, no words of encouragement
No hints of the path before me
Allowing my mistakes, my choices right or wrong
I sometimes wonder how you can watch and not be tempted to speak
Surely the painful steps I take must seem slow and hesitant
Frustration must be with you from time to time

And yet you never falter, never give up and turn away
And when the road gets too long and I cry out
And curse you in my own frustration
I still cannot drive you away nor rush you
You allow me to learn the truths in my own time, and in my own way

If you can be so steadfast in your watching
Can take the time to be there and the strength to let me grow
Can stretch your patience to encompass my frustrations
I have to believe that there has to be a reason
That there must be an end to the maze somewhere
If you can have the drive to complete the task at hand
I know that I can do no less than trust and continue forward
And believe that one day I will understand

Lanai

Penned by my hand on the 4th of Valnuary, in the year 437 AF.