Another instance of I-thou on the Noland trail occurred after having had my mind expanded by all of the encounters with the interesting plants like moss and fallen trees. The experience in poem form:
I was almost out of the woods when stretch beckoned me to come closer.
I came upon a Magnolia nearing the end of its bloom
With light pink petals and flowers strewn about the leaf litter.
Beautiful, even in death
These delicate pillows of soft, pink innocence
Aged gracefully on the forest floor, like the wrinkled faces of the wisest and most satisfied souls.
The flowers on the ground were exquisite, even past their prime. These flowers did not convey anything to me through speech, yet I felt extremely touched by their presence. It was saddening to see the pink flowers on the ground left to wither, but they seemed quite fine with it. These flowers left me feeling on the same level with everything around me. It left me knowing that even as life passes out of an individual –whether it be a flower, bird, or tree –their presence lingers on, and their impact on the world is significant, even if for just a moment. Those graceful flowers on the forest floor will disappear into compost quickly, but their effect upon me will last a lifetime. Likewise, if people were to realize that small moments of intricate kindness can accumulate to positively affect a person’s life, then they might dish it out more often. My experience with the flowers left me with a handful of kindness to carry on.
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