Memories on the Trail

 

Memories On The Trail

When I die

Scatter my ashes

Alongside the trail

so my spirit soul

may join with the fairies

frolicking and sprinkling

an aura of goodness, lightness, and joy

into the hearts of passer byes.

 

 In the miles and miles

I’ve covered in almost a half a century of walking

my Ashland trail

I’ve enjoyed making friends and

engaging in the simple ritual of saying 'hello'.

 “Hello”, “How are you?”,

'What a cute dog!',

“Enjoy your walk and your day”.

Or for those enjoying a quiet day

a simple smile or nod and wave suffices

to acknowlege 'I see you', 'You matter'

'Peace be with you'.

These simple niceties are the grease

and glue welcoming us into each others lives

on the promenade,

providing an uplift to our days

and solidifying a camaraderie among us.

 

Through the years, the seasonal changes

Have always invoked warm memories

as I walk my beloved trail.

 

On sunny, but chilly days, the winds

blow in memories of childhood days:

 

Memories of standing on a hill in Malibu

with my mother one singular windy day

when I was a toddler

 flying a kite as she held me

and made me feel eternally warm and safe;

Memories of lazy childhood

Saturday afternoons in Los Altos Hills,

resting after morning chores were done

basking in the warmth of the sun

sitting on the swing set in the backyard

listening to the distant sound

of a lawn mower

or the far away drone of a plane.

As I invoke these memories 

through engaging all my senses on the trail, 

I am relaxed, warm and content.

I am loved and feel the depth of belonging.

All is right with the world.

 

So when I die

throw my ashes

along the trail

so I may join the fairies

in blessing all who meander by

with memories and good feelings of their own.

 

 

When I die

scatter my ashes

alongside the trail

so that my spirit soul

may gently swirl and

exuberantly dance around

the dogs and humans

with tenderness and care,

eliciting a tail wag or smile

when caught unaware.

Let me continue to give back

What has been given to me—

A sense of love, peace, joy and belonging

along this personal promenade

so full of goodwill and happy memories.