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Zihna Augustine DHM, PH.D.'s avatar

Beautiful, Joe! It IS the road that matters. Age, I've found, is a tricky thing. A label the world tries to put on you to regulate your activity and thoughts. But, dreams keep you alive. Having somewhere to go or something to do gives you purpose. And, purpose added to dreams awakens the heart and mind and turns life into an adventure! Maybe we go slower as we age, and that's a good thing. You miss so much speeding down the road. A walk helps you gain perspective. We forget how to just "see" ,until we slow down. The journey IS the journey.

Manhandled Threads - Joe Madl's avatar

Perhaps something like:

I think you’ve noticed something important, Zihna. Perhaps the slowing isn’t the opposite of living—it is what finally lets us meet it. Thank you for walking a little way along the road with me.

**Rabbit nodded. “The road was never in a hurry.”

Then he smiled.

“Only the travellers were.”**

Thank you for walking a little of it beside me.

Zihna Augustine DHM, PH.D.'s avatar

I usually walk alone. Its nice to have company on the road for a while. That’s the other thing that can happen when you slow down on the road…you can meet very interesting people…and Rabbits!

Manhandled Threads - Joe Madl's avatar

Ha! Indeed! I shall keep a place at my birthday table tomorrow for you both!

Zihna Augustine DHM, PH.D.'s avatar

OH, thank you for inviting me! I am honored! I will be there with bells on!

Manhandled Threads - Joe Madl's avatar

Most excellent! Bells are de rigueur at any celebrational gathering in the Archives!

Zihna Augustine DHM, PH.D.'s avatar

Oh, yes! There must be bells! And cake…I could bring a cake. What kind do you prefer?

Marilee Reyes's avatar

I guess I was out to lunch when this posted. Glad I found it while looking back through my emails for something else. As usual, there's much food for thought, but it also reminded me of one of my favorite quotations: "We're all just walking each other home." Ram Dass. It's pretty much my mantra for life.

Manhandled Threads - Joe Madl's avatar

Thank you, Marilee. ❤️ What a beautiful quotation. It feels as though it simply stepped onto the road beside this little Field Note. And I rather like that you found it while searching for something else. Sometimes the road seems to know what we’d hoped to notice before we do.

Linda Jackson 🌏's avatar

The road between the mile posts. 💙

Manhandled Threads - Joe Madl's avatar

A beautiful condensation…thank you!

Linda Jackson 🌏's avatar

Always a pleasure Joe!