Dave Groves
I look forward to the surprises that are little gifts that will help maintain my mirth no matter what the day will bring to me.
CARRIED on a light breeze, sweet perfume from flora unknown drifts across my nose while finches and sparrows tousle in the skeletal and bloomed branches of flowering plums.
The rising sun slowly squashes the line of shade drawn by the ridge that I traverse.
Launceston is waking to yet another beautiful day.
I pass this way often as I am privileged to be able to walk to work each day.
It is a joyous and exciting way to pass the early hours.
I live far enough from town to be able to walk up and down hills; some smoothly paved, some rutted dirt.
There are stairs and zig zag pathways of bitumen and concrete, shaggy green banks of grass that would be enjoyed by many a farm animal if lucky enough to find such treasure.
This is a marvellous time of the year. Blooms slowly fading and tiny green and purple leaves, peeking a glimpse of the world that they will live in till autumn, cover the branches recently stark and somewhat transparent to the sky backdrop.
The magnolias are particularly spectacular.
Purple cups balance on branches, supported like a thousand chalices on a chandelier.
There are many other varieties, some small white Catherine wheels dance in the stiffening breeze as I round a corner and stare at the Tamar River shimmering in the distance from a warming sun.
The walk is always different, always to be treasured.
Houses, people’s homes, vary in construction style and state of repair.
Yards adorned by trinkets perhaps gathered from treks in places afar give some insight to the stories the inhabitants could tell.
The occasional passing glimpse through bare windows show more personal keepsakes and give a human value to the shell that is someone’s abode.
Peeling paint, cracks in steps, half weeded gardens or the perfect lawn divided by symmetrical tiles and squarely trimmed hedges give a feeling of real, of chaos, of life.
For me the daily walk to work serves to soothe my soul as well as to straighten curves that age and relative lethargy have conspired to accumulate excess mass.
I pass a few people on the way depending which direction my whim takes me.
Most, it seems are happy, perhaps like me somewhat content that they are blessed enough to be able to wander so freely amongst so much life and excitement before their day of work jolts to reality.
Some are still coming to grips with the morning and I would guess dreaming of some exotic blend of coffee that awaits at their favourite early morning watering hole.
Tomorrow if all goes well I will wake and shower, don some fresh threads and like a fish in the ocean my walk will be fluid and mysterious.
I look forward to the surprises that are little gifts that will help maintain my mirth no matter what the day will bring to me.
I hope your day is half as good as mine.
Take care,
Dave.
