I have read On The Road and wanted to live it, to know the joy of the road. I feel it calling me ever on, ever on, calling me to live the nomadic life, free and irresponsible. I am become old and fearful, but still the way calls me to place my first footstep on this unknown journey. I hear the voice, clearly as it were my lover's.
"Come with me, see the land, the trees, the sky. Feel the wind in your face and witness the whole world as it unrolls beneath your feet. Learn from your travels."
So I must away. The world calls to me, and I must go. The verdant hills and peaceful valleys beg me to rest in their peaceful havens, the trees beckon to me with their long fingers.
"Come, sit with us, let us tell you the stories of many years, we will shelter you from the storm and share with you. We will teach you how to grow, and in growing, bring beauty and benefit to others."
And so I listen. I learn how to dig my toes into the earth to gain strength, and to reach my arms to the sky, defying gravity. I raise my eyes and see the hills stand firm.
"We will give you strength to endure. Feel the power of the world beneath your feet. Learn from us, and we will tell you the history of the world before your coming, before the ages of Man."
And the trees reach down with gentle push and slowly, slowly tear the rock apart, and the rivers run down the hills and mountains. Ah! the rivers! and their joyful tumbling through the rocks in their exuberant youth, and in their maturity, meandering through the lowlands, leaving behind their legacy of vandalism in great plains of silt.
"Hear us! Hear our tale, how we patiently model of the world. Hear how we feed all life. Know that your gentle flow moves mountains and as we return to the sea, begin again the great cycle of life."
Above it all, the sky. The clouds, the wind, the sun. I wonder at how the gentle rain completes the cycle and the sun beats away the puddles on the pavement and the rock pools on the beach.
I hearken to the sun. All-powerful in her golden chariot as she rides across the sky, aloof and uncaring of desert and sea alike. And yet, she drives the great cycle of life. I cannot hear her voice clearly, but feel the power of her thoughts, the life she brings to all.
So with the voices of the spirits in my ears, I stand at the start of my journey. Many years I have waited for this moment. My future hinges on this first step as I say a small farewell to my old life.
