lost

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you

Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,

And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,

Must ask permission to know it and be known.

The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,

I have made this place around you.

If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven.

No two branches are the same to Wren.

If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,

You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows

Where you are. You must let it find you.

-- David Wagoner 

You might be forgiven for thinking that I spend my whole life wandering around in the woods. That's not so..but it's not a bad way to spend these strange days between Christmas and Hogmanay, and Jess is enjoying some longer walks than usual. Sometimes I set out with a destination in mind,  but today I was just exploring. I wanted to see if we could make a circular walk around the woods above Routin Brig. The woods are very dark, mostly conifers. We skirted the edge, up and then down the hill towards the Shawhead road. Between us and the road was the Auld Water, quite a sizeable burn. I thought we might walk to the ford, but the ground was boggy and there were walls to cross. I did find a fallen tree across it and thought I might use that, but what if I slipped, fell in, got cold and wet and Jess wouldn't follow me? In the end, we retraced our steps, which took quite a while, especially as I decided to cut through the forest to save going across the boggy ground again. It was rather exhilarating in there, and there were some lovely (non coniferous) trees, like tis one.
I wasn't really lost, because I have a good sense of direction. But all the same, I was relieved to be back in the open again, and back on the path home.
D was a bit worried about me, I think ;-)