Awake

Nothing profound happened on my way to visit a friend in the hospital. I worried about the well-being of her family, and a hundred other things, while I parked my car and rushed to avoid the rain. But then something about the shape of this tree interrupted my thoughts and forced me to stop. The branches reminded me of a river flowing toward the sky, and for a moment I stood with rain water dripping down my face, reverenced by the simplicity and beauty of nature.

And for one small moment, I was awake.