carried by another

so they say —
the invitation
is a leap of faith
face set like flint
muscles at the ready
channeling your inner Carl Lewis
you land —hopefully— sand flying 
in every direction new lengths achieved
but you never know until the end
that’s the point — so they say

I say —
it’s just 
a step
one 
small 
step 
like 
the wobbly 
wandering of 
a toothy-grinned 
toddler
in the
garden

I say —
it’s just
a moment
duration indeterminate — sometimes like
the slow shutter speed of a nighttime 
photo waiting eons for the light
still, though, a moment

in that step
that moment
uncertainty nevertheless encircles 
you given over 
to gravity — balance — the contours of the path
you move beyond yourself
your gaze redirected
entrusting in motion

one small step
it’s not one and done
it’s a path of stones
laid out in the garden
from before time began

each stone 
   etched — speckles, fossils, strata —
   just what’s needed to keep the momentum
each stone
   taking us closer 
   to home
each stone
   within reach
   with a little bit of faith

the path weaves and winds 
to where does it lead

this is a walk 
   the intention of our gaze 
   eclipses the direction of our ways 
this is a journey
   wobbly knees enfeebled hands 
   in our weakness another stands
this is the invitation
— I say

Written by Scott Moore
Illustrated by Landon Wideman

Inspired November 2019