I love running in the woods as the light fades. The familiar paths and tracks fade and recede into the gloom and shadows. Senses are heightened as eyes try to seek out the way ahead and spot the roots and ruts. Twists in the path are spotted at the last moment, and I have watched myself, my unconscious mind, making decisions before I am aware of what has been seen, my body lurching to the right to follow the dim line of the path. My feet, unconsciously lifted higher than usual to avoid hidden roots and branches. As if my brain is saying "It's all right. I've got this. I know what to do. You work out where we are going next."
I love seeing the countryside in action. Emerging from dark woods one night I found a huge groaning monster, its red eyes glinting and lighting the mist that surrounded it. It was harvest time, and the monster was cutting rape, kicking up the dust from the dry mud and disgorging its cargo of precious seeds into a trailer.
I love the unexpected. Tonight, coming back over the big dusky field, the glorious sunset faded to a golden band below bluegrey cloud, I could sense movement beside me. Looking round I saw my moonshadow ghost, silently matching me pace for pace.
I love where I live. The chance to slip out as the sun sets and jog over familiar fields and paths and tracks and hills, the last calls of the day birds and the first hooting of the owls.
I love the big outside world.
No comments:
Post a Comment