My path is not the easy path. It's like the old flood trail. It has some unique and interesting views yet I find my eyes are fixed on the regular path above where everyone is speeding ahead. Some folks pause a moment to see if they can offer a hand because I'm obviously on the wrong path. Although, no matter what words I utter out of my mouth, they retract their hand in shock as if I were a deadly snake and without so much as a good-day, they quickly move on. I'd rather they not see me but I'm in plain site most of the time.

I envy their speed and apparent enjoyment of the normal view. I try to climb the steep embankment to join them but it's hard and seemingly impossible.

My path has not been cared for and there are many obstacles. The more I travel, the greater the weight on my back becomes and I'm growing tired of the same view from which I cannot seem to turn.

I see two alternate paths. The first, is to jump into the cool river on my right and let it sweep me away. Where it takes me after the shocking plunge is irrelevant. The second, a beeline into the forest where the trail does not exist and the risks are obviously high. I may need to fight my way across the regular path where people would surely try to stop me from entering the forest. Reasons for stopping me will vary but I will not escape without some scrapes and bruises.

To make it through the rough, I would need to drop my cumbersome pack and travel light. A dangerous move but a necessary one. I would also need to conjure up some stamina and courage but from where, I do not know.

Where I end up would be a great mystery but whether it is better than where I'm at now, is unknown. Exciting as it should be, concern and worry are the only things which flood my mind and rightfully so. This escapism way of thinking translates into more mental weight which I can't even set down during my many, many water breaks.

Even if I were to make higher ground and find a better path through the forest. I would still see the old regular path from time to time and I will have to be on constant look out for spite thrown rocks.

So, another water break over and I remain stunted by my own misery and inability to see a better path through my dense surroundings. For now, for this moment, I will stumble onward as I always have. I look back to make sure I left everything as I found it, with this one exception, which is carved into the bottom side of this fallen tree.