But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I Sleep

 

You can't waste a cold, November night. Especially if the moon is full.

I finally went shopping for food. I make sure the dog always has something to eat but do I make sure I do? Nope. So it was past time to stock up my shelves. As I was driving home through Seekonk, the moon was appearing on the horizon and was already casting shadows. It was then I thought I needed a little walk in the woods.

You'd think I'd have all the peace and quiet I want living alone. I do, but I also want to remove myself from the noise in this world. The TV, internet, phone, stereo...other people. I want a to be by myself for an hour.

I knew a pretty girl who once sported this tee-shirt when she was twenty. It said, “Leave.Me.Alone.” I loved it. I want one of those when I have that craving to escape.

Cold air can enshroud you, as can the night but that's obvious. The cold muffles the noise of the city that can drone on and on. All I can hear as I walk the trails is the shuffle of leaves around my feet and the quick activity of unknown creatures scampering away. At times I'll stop, turn my head so the good ear is up, to hear what I can hear. I can count on one hand the number of things that make any noise. I might, might hear the rippling of the river. If there is slight breeze and I'm by the fields, I can hear the rustling of the dry grass. If I'm lucky, I might startle a duck or goose and I'll hear that splat, splat, splat of their wings smacking the water as they try to gain height as they fly away. It can be that quiet.

It won't take long, but there's that point when I feel relaxed..blissfully ALONE. Not only alone from other people, but alone from myself. I'll explain.

You can successfully get away from the noise of other people and the world at large. But can you get away from the noise you generate in yourself? You can. It takes some doing, but you can achieve it.

Perhaps you are like me. My mind can toss and turn and ruminate and think things over for the umpteenth time. I have schedules to remember, car repairs I promise to deal with but blow off again, short and long term concerns and memories. This constant self-chat goes on all day with me at times. Busy, busy, busy.

But, if I put myself in a place that's conducive for quiet, even my damn brain can take a break for a while.

Once my mind takes that break, I can finally notice what's around me.

Tonight, I was reminded again of how blue-white everything is with a full moon. This surprises me each and every time I see it. There's no mystery as to why I don't remember it. I always forget about it when the day to day world is always entreating my attention. You forget about a lot of things when your focus is “elsewhere.”

But not tonight.

As the moon lights everything up with that surreal light, it also casts shadows. The tree branches now are pretty much bare and the shadows thrown by them are the blackest you'll ever see. On the ground before me as I walk under the trees, I see a tangled, haphazard weave of sharply defined black bands. My own shadow is there too, moving along ink black as well. On the side of the trail, I cannot see at all into the larger scrub oaks and bushes. It's all obscured. It's worrisome. What foxes and coyotes are watching me pass by? I know they are in the woods somewhere, I've seen them at dusk and dawn.

I'll make a wandering circle through these woods. I know where I am. I've tromped through them since I was a child. Eventually I aim back to my car, get in and join the world once more.

But, while I sit at the intersection of Armistice and Newport avenue red light, I don't acknowledge the traffic, the teens gathered in front of the Quickie Mart nor myself. My brain is still quiet.

This will last till I go to bed. Excellent!


I've been doing this sort of thing since I was a kid. Old habits never die. I'll probably do it again and continue to write about it.