to this point of wonder
in which the water's been calling
I return to this point of wonder: it’s a lake, called great for great reason.
“The water keeps calling me,” is a thing I keep finding myself saying, texting. Nearly every weekend as of late, it calls, and I surprise myself with an answer.
I recently answered the call after a lovely Saturday morning walk with my friend Lindsay. We’d finished our now annual — because we’ve deemed it so, now that it’s year two — October cemetery walk. But I had nowhere to be, and the lakefront on my mind, so I decided I’d walk some more solo. I drove to Foster Beach and parked, and walked toward the water. Next thing I knew, I had inadvertently crashed a Suicide Prevention walk taking place along the lakefront.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, chilly and warm at once. As I walked with my hands stuffed in the pockets of my green military jacket, ear buds in, I neared a group of supporters holding signs:
JUST BREATHE
You are not alone <3
We want you here!
I felt a bit sheepish, the closer I got, as if I’d walked into a party uninvited, until — I started to pass, and they began to cheer and applaud. Someone rang a bell! Another said, “Way to go!”
I burst into tears, hidden behind my sunglasses. Naturally.
I walked to the concrete steps and sat down, facing the water, just breathing.
What a strange, beautiful unlikely thing it was.
Something wondrous.
thanks to Suleika Jaouad for the inspiration, and the prompt.
