The Present Moment

A summer’s day.

Rain shower ended.

Air still moist.

A human walking in a hemlock forest.

Human, trees, ferns, moss, rocks, birds,

all connected in the present moment.

Tranquility.

Silence.

Reverence.

Oneness.

A young dog bounding through the forest,

Planting huge muddy paws on the human’s chest.

Connection to oneness interrupted.

Choice point for human:

React in anger,

or,

Respond with love.

Soul wisdom ever present,

nudging human to connect with love.

Human gently releases dog’s paws from chest,

voice quiet and calming.

Dog settles and sits in stillness at human’s feet.

Human’s hand lightly rests on dog’s head.

Connection.

Dog, human, trees, ferns, moss, rocks, birds,

all connected in the present moment.

Tranquility.

Silence.

Reverence.

Oneness

Time standing still.

Human running through woods,

loudly calling a name.

Dog sits quiet, not responding.

The hand lightly resting on dog’s head, releases.

Connection to oneness interrupted.

Dog bounds to its human;

a joyous reunion unfolds.

The love shared between the dog

and its human, vibrating through the forest.

Apologetic words spill out

of the human’s mouth,

as their eyes fall upon

the muddy paw prints on  

the other human’s white shirt.

A calm voice responds,

Thank you for being accountable.

The dog was simply seeking connection,

and it found what it was seeking.

The paw prints—a memento

of the shared experience.

All is well in the present moment.

Katharina Reed

September 2022