Easy sunny days. Cheap beer. Personified walking sticks. A roaming hound. The warmth that comes from good friends and fresh air ain't always easy to come by, but when it is present, life is as it should be. We find purpose in the smiles on our friend's faces as we all stumble atop rough rocks. Edges and divots we can't see cause us to fall, but everyone falls together, and we laugh as the cold water mends our bruises.  The misery of the purple ankle doesn't seem so miserable, our legs not so tired after all. No mirrors here to get lost in. No artificial ringings to snatch our eyes. Just memories of that time we left the trail and skipped down the steep side of a mountain who refused climbing. Memories of life and good food.

A rest in the trek. Well-deserved rewards. Hidden falls. The blue-green of deep pools lures us in and offers respite to the sweat of our backs. We were children once. Now somewhere between. Starting the chapters that will further define and lead us off--each person destined for a different trail. Finally together long enough to begin real conservation, to delve into thought. Some are quiet. Some speak. All feel comfort. All find solace in one another. As we discover new country, we feel ourselves. I am sad it is rare for me. I smile at the band on the rocks. A great host of friends. I smile at it all. You have all given me the greatest gift.  I can laugh honestly. Joy takes my soul.

 A thoughtful meal. Our last together. For all the fatigue, and all the wounds, we comment on the beauty of morning.  Our chord is nearly spent. The chopping that became a game plays itself to its end. Some depart on their own. A pair goes. Then one again. Mutual thanks are spread. Grief takes its toll and goodbyes have their role. So the great host disbands, and the mighty individuals who conquered all dissipate amongst the trees. The fire we had kept through rain and night takes its final breath. An emptiness, the lack of that warmth, fills my gut. But one must be happy to have lived so. I say my goodbyes to those trees that watched us and disappear into civilization.