"Fallen Things"

It took us 90 minutes to walk a mile.  But we did it.  And we mused about it.
He thought, In Buddhism they say to walk slowly and deliberately, taking each step with care.  This is certainly one way to do it.

She thought, Funny how you go on a fall hike to see the trees.  But I haven't looked up in an hour.  With kids this small, we focus so much on the earth, the rocks, the moss, the leaves already fallen.

So we walked slowly, crunching steadily and intentionally on a trail mix of Fallen things.

I might have looked up to see the sun shining through the trees. 
And I do that often enough, in more solemn moments.
But this time, I answered questions about moss,
About why this hillside has ferns,
And why those rocks are white with blops of slate.
Squatting and getting my hands dirty.
Talked about how the earth stays so warm and wet.
And focused on the things that make up their world.
It is heavenly to be part of both.