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Tranquillity Now & Then
A new world opened for me as I strolled through the frozen creek. I felt as though I were wandering through a twisting,
winding, narrow valley. It’s banks rising to meet the farmers’ fields that lie on either side of this gully, which
was to later capture my very soul.
Varied trees, shrubs, and bushes abundantly cloaked the sleeping walls, whose lush, green vegetation had given way to a
blanket of marshmallowy white snow. The trees looked stately, as their tawny-gray limbs, void of any greenery, reached toward
the crisp blue sky.
Silence prevailed. No wind to be heard, no breeze to be felt. An awesome feeling had gripped my mind, as I journeyed westward.
In the distance I could hear swiftly flowing water, enticing me to journey on, to view what lay just around the bend. Soon
my eyes beheld tiny rapids, formed by the rocks tossed into the creek by farmers’ who owned the adjacent land. The rapids
were neither fierce nor deep, but rushing just enough to prevent the rapids’ nucleus from freezing over.
As I shuffled along, I noticed many roots were visible, due to soil erosion. Hidden behind a mass of knotted roots was
a drainage pipe. A combination of the two offered the illusion of a waterfall as the water cascaded over
and through the openings in the cluster.
Aside from the diminutive tracks caused by small, fur bearing animals, like rabbit, muskrat and squirrel, the snow that
covered the frozen creek was untouched. The sun’s radiance caused the snow to glimmer, as though the Creator Himself
had dusted the whiteness with millions of tiny little diamonds for me to admire.
Seemingly on cue, the birds sang a lovely symphony, making my trek even more pleasant. My thoughts wishing to linger only
for here and now. I didn’t want this time to go. Peace and tranquillity were mine for the taking, as long as I remained
below ground level.
I continued my pilgrimage along the narrow path, now looking more like a covered bridge than a waterway. The wildly growing
vine which laced the protruding branches on one side of the creek has subsequently joined to protruding branches on the other
side forming a covered bridge effect. Peering through the thicket, I could see that I was nearing the end of the half mile
long ravine.
A feeling of awe had swept over me as I gazed upon the locust trees with their long, pointed needles. I wondered if our
Native Ancestors, who once roamed this area, had used these needles to make crafts or clothing. I wondered too, if they used
any of the vegetation, now dormant under Mother Nature’s wintry hand, as sustenance for their daily survival.
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pg.2 now & then
How proud, the Natives of old must have been, to consider themselves one with the earth and all the natural resources that
lie therein, and one with the wild beast that migrated earth’s face. I too felt a bond with creation. My thoughts were
as far away from present day humanity as I dared to let them go. I could feel my heart surrender to the serenity of my immediate
surroundings.
From the corner of my eye I could see a rabbit sitting on the incline, each of us staring at the other but neither of us
daring to move. I bided my time. It seemed an eternity. I waited patiently not wanting to frighten him away. Rather, I hoped
he would come toward me, although I had nothing to give him in the way of food, I was curious to see how close he would come.
For a brief moment I gazed upward to see what had casted a shadow over my feet. It was a hawk. When I turned back to look
at the rabbit, he vanished, no doubt into one of the many openings the rabbits had burrowed into the creek walls. I contemplated
for a moment as to what methods the early Natives would have used to hunt the rabbit; spear, bow and arrow, trap? I supposed
too, that they would have used the whole carcass. The skin may have been used as head covering in the colder months.
A train whistle in the background jarred my mind completely back to recent times. I felt saddened that I must leave this
haven of tranquillity. Fortunately, an emotion short lived, for I took courage in knowing that this peace would be offered
me again in the near future. I need only walk one hundred feet away from my home to enjoy this extravagance again.
Composed and written by ellen marie parker
Reprinted by ellen marie parker Sept. 12, 2002.
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