originally published on October 13, 2013 at 9:20pm
after resting with the breeze blowing through my bedroom
after the whole day passing me by
after going through the Sunday motions
after praising
after shopping for the evening’s nourishment
after allowing the kids to have their private time
after I slipped into a blissful snooze
I awoke.
I decided to take the kids out to shoot some hoops in the yard for the remaining 10 minutes before dusk.
we played
we laughed
we taught our old dog some new tricks
we ran
we took some pictures
and just after I sent the kids inside to clean up for dinner
I said
let me put some things out of sight
I turned my back to the dog who was playfully laying on his back
I turned my back to the house where the lights glowed amidst the rustic back woods
I turned my back to yesterday’s worries
While my back was turned
The dog ran off
leash and all
the kids heard me calling for the dog
they came out to help
but he did not come back
I walked the yard and it’s surroundings
I took to the path that the dog knows well
but it was dark, too dark to bring others
but too dark to go alone
I could barely see
my feet knew the route
I figured that I would at least try
I had nothing to loose
each second the wooded path was more faint
branches scratching my face
wooded landmarks were all I had
those…and my faith
within minutes I reached the end of the path
a familiar place where I’d hidden my treasures
a place that no one else lurked
but a place I’d chosen to keep things safe
last week’s storm had taken out some trees
pushed over from top to root
no one would have otherwises noticed or cared
but for me it was remarkable
but for me it was mentionable
but for me it was once a place where I felt safe
crushed by the fallen tree
just like the other hiding spot was
crushed by the fallen tree
and I realized that no hiding place was safe
no hidding place was hidden enough
there’s no hidding from the world
and there’s no hiding place from Him
I walked a little bit farther
calling out for my dog
I grew weary
the night grew closer
and off in the distance I found him
I found Him
He was still
and so was I
nothing was said
we walked back together
silently
in the dark
and I was content
the he was found
but then I realized that
he was never lost
he was hiding
just as I had been hiding
and I was glad that I had realized
that there was no reason to hide
anymore
