The Choice

“There can only be one … One what?” I asked.

“One bond,” she said.

Her voice and that of the creek were difficult to distinguish, but I heard her clearly all the same. The implications of what she meant seeped into and stilled my heart, leaving nothing but her words echoing in my ears.

She meant it was time to choose.

I knew this moment would come, and my decision had already been made.  Months ago the soothsayer showed me where my path would diverge.

The depth of my pain upon acknowledging the choice I’d made was what surprised me.

I stop at this rock for stretching exercises and morning sun salutations after walking and/or jogging to the mailbox. Our mailbox is about 1/2 mile away on our hilly driveway, so it’s a good hike whether I meander or push myself to jog any of it.