The Journey

Copyright 3/31/2003, Jaelle Shadowdancer

A child perches in my chair
Gaze darting round, her face aglow.
I pause and watch the wonder there,
The joy she takes in things unknown.
Through her bright eyes I see the things
That bracket in my every day;
The structured chaos my life brings - 
While I see work, she starts to play.

Her favorite game is "Grown up life."
I laugh and tell her not to run
Into the things that bring us strife;
I tell her that her day will come.
Bewildered, she looks up at me;
Confusion draws lines in her face.
She asks me why I try to be
The winner each and every race.

I ask her what she means by this;
A sly, sweet smile answers that.
She tells me "You've forgotten bliss;
Where I now sit, you too once sat."
As I look on in consternation,
Down she jumps, reminds me that
A journey's not a destination - 
It's every step along the path.