For all the hours and all the miles I've walked on my beloved trail, I don't recall ever seeing or hearing what I did tonight. I've had some not so nice things said to me from time to time, and I've even been elbowed a couple of times by some young men on bicycles as they said some of those not so nice things. And one of those times as I tried to quickly step off the trail when I heard the boys coming up behind me, I lost my balance and took a bit of a tumble. Not to worry, though ... Oliver the mighty and fierce wiener dog came to my rescue with his snarling and barking, "Don't you even think about hurting my mommie," voice and sent the boys running for safety. I haven't seen those young men in quite a while, and though I'm not afraid of them, I must admit that I'm glad they seem to have moved on ... at least I hope they have moved on. What I saw and heard tonight had absolutely nothing to do with me ... well, it didn't have anything to do with me until I opened my mouth and spoke my mind.
I waited until after 8 to begin walking tonight because I had an appointment after work that caused me to get home late. And even though I didn't start walking until the sun was dipping low in the sky, my clothes were still soaking wet with sweat by the time Ollie and I got home a bit ago. I left my iPod at home this evening as I headed out to walk ... it's one of those nights when I needed the silence of the trail so that I could think through some things. Ollie and I had just finished crossing the first bridge and playing his barking game, and we were beginning to head up a little hill as we made our way toward home. I think Ollie and I must have heard the shouting at the same time because my little wiener dog stopped in his tracks and growled, the fur on his back standing at attention as he peered into the semi-dark space before him. I looked up and saw a young adult couple standing next to a bench along the side of the trail ... standing almost nose to nose as they screamed at one another.
"You are so stupid!" shouted the young man. "You're just a fat, stupid, jealous (insert not so nice word here), and all I want is to be as far away from you as I can get! The worst day of my life was the day I met you and your (insert another not so nice word here) kid."
The young woman was shaking as she glared at the man and screamed, "My (insert previous not so nice word here) kid? He's our kid, you idiot ... you're the one who insisted on adopting him. I hate you more than I've ever hated anyone. You are a lazy, worthless piece of ( ... you know the drill by now), and I hate you so much!!"
Since Oliver had decided he wasn't going to move, and by that time was barking his crazy head off, I bent over and scooped him into my arms and started walking ... thinking that surely the couple would cool off and stop fighting as Ollie and I got closer to where they were standing. But rather than calming down, when we were only a few steps away from them the young man placed his hands on the woman's shoulders and shoved her roughly down onto the bench as he said loudly, "I swear to God if you get off that bench, you'll be sorry. You'll be sorry, you fat, stupid (once again, you know the drill) ... I swear to God I'll make you be sorry."
"Keep walking ... keep walking ... keep walking," throbbed in my brain as I fought to focus on the path beneath my feet and avoid any possibility of eye contact with the young man who was by then towering over the young woman as she cried ... towering over her and screaming a plethora of obscenities. "Keep walking ... keep your mouth shut and keep walking," I whispered to the squirming wiener dog in my arms. And no sooner had I whispered the words to Oliver, I heard my quivering voice say to the young man, "Not cool, man ... not cool at all. Just breathe, man, and let her go on home while you walk and calm down." As he turned toward me, his eyes trying to focus in the near darkness, he said, "You talking to me, old woman?" When I finally looked up into his eyes, I saw more than rage and anger ... I saw fear and worry and quite obvious pain, and my heart began to soften as tears sprung to my eyes.
"Hey, man," I said quietly. "Life is short ... trust me on that one. Way too short to fight and hurt each other. Way too short ... trust me."
I wish I could tell you that I hung around and watched the young couple kiss and make up, and I sure hope that's what happened. But I didn't stay. At least not physically anyway ... I think my mind and my heart may stay with that couple for a long time to come. I can tell you that the young man said nothing in return to my comments, and I can also tell you that I didn't hear him shouting as Ollie and I walked on up the hill toward home.
Life really is too short to fight or judge or criticize or hate, friends ... it really is. My prayer tonight is not only for the hearts of the young couple on the trail but for my own as well ... that my own heart will be one of peace and acceptance and praise and love. Life really is too short for anything else ... trust me on that one ... way too short ... trust me.
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