I’m walking along my path.
It is made of white sandstone
and as the sun moves over its surface,
there is an answering shine from the sand,
as if the sun has passed over
flecks of sand that are made of diamonds.
I can see gemstones scattered
along my path as it heads towards the sun:
amethyst, sapphire, ruby,
garnet, citrine, aventurine,
tigers eye, rose quartz,
topaz, diamond, aquamarine,
lapis lazuli, black onyx.
The gemstones look as if they
are randomly placed along the sandstone,
but I know each holds a memory,
a moment caught in time.
As I walk along the path,
I reach down to touch one,
an carnelian that appears to contain
something wider than the highest mountain.
At my touch, a window appears
in the sky before me.
I can see myself as I was
when I was young.
I am with another boy and together,
we share a kiss.
My first kiss with another boy.
I walk on and touch another stone,
a moonstone that sparkles with its own light.
When the window appears,
I can see myself as I found my Spirit.
I am browsing the books in an occult shop
and it is like I found my home.
I walk on and look down at the gemstones,
at the sea of memories that they contain,
the emotions held within.
I bend down and touch a turquoise stone
and I can recall the memory as it plays
in front of my eyes.
I am older and I am lost within myself,
trying to find my way out
of the labyrinth within.
A blue agate is blinking merrily at me,
shining bright because of the sun.
I tap it gently and the window appears
and I can see myself as I learned
to walk once more.
I see a stone further on,
an obsidian stone that thrums with energy.
I touch it and I can see myself
at the very moment when I chose to live,
when I chose to fight and to celebrate
the life that I was given.
Towards the middle of the pathway
that holds pieces of my life,
its joys and sorrows,
I see a trio of stones together,
a rose quartz, an amethyst and a garnet.
When I touch one stone,
they all light up and I can see three windows,
all at once.
I see Michael when he told me
that he loved me.
I see Michael when he asked me to marry him.
And I see Michael when we said our vows.
I am filled with such joy
when I look back at the pathway of my life,
for everything that I’ve learned,
all that I’ve experienced.
When the windows fade,
I notice that the pathway continues,
that it goes on farther than I can see.
The sandstone is empty of stones.
I realize that its yet to be filled with memories
held within gemstones.
Seeing that pathway,
curving into the future and empty of stones,
gives me hope for what is to come
and the memories
that I have yet to create.

I’ve been trying for a long time to find the words.

It’s not enough to say I’m merely grateful for you,

not nearly enough.

You not only make my life better,

you make me a better man.

When we first met,

my life was one of unease and fear,

and I regarded everything,

everyone,

as if I were a deer in the headlights.

Even though you saw that in me,

you still took my hand,

held me close,

and told me you loved me.

I’ve been looking for the words high and low,

but they have been evading me.

I have looked into the skies,

the trees,

and upon the ground I walk on,

but they aren’t there.

I want you to know how much you mean to me,

how much you’ve changed my life,

made it into a dream that’s reality,

created a new chapter for me,

when I thought all of the pages were filled.

I look into the clouds to see,

if by chance,

they have written the words I want to say to you.

All I see are white wisps filled with wishes waiting to be made,

but I don’t see the words I want to say to you.

You’ve rewritten my life and given me the world,

but more than that,

you’ve given me your heart and the magic it holds within,

a gift beyond anything I have ever received.

I look down to the ground again and there,

hiding in the grass,

is a pen.

I pick it up and feel a thrum running through it and it occurs to me:

I don’t have to look for the words,

because they are inside me.

They’ve been inside me the whole time.

So, here I sit,

the world moving around me as I try to make the world slow down,

as I try to capture the sun and put it on the page.

You are the sun to me that brightens my day,

you are the wind that moves me to do better,

you are the sky to me,

filled with limitless possibilities,

and you are the ground to me,

solid,

firm and supportive,

keeping me from falling.

You are everything great to me,

you embody and are everything beautiful,

and I am so very grateful for you.

Even now,

when I look at you,

I can hear the leaves.

It is not the clatter of leaves

after a heavy rain,

laden down with moisture.

Instead, it is the rustle

and whisper of leaves

dancing in air that is

thick with heat.

When you took my hand

as we said our vows,

I could hear them

falling all around us.

As we danced,

I could hear them

sliding along the floor

as we moved in time

to the beat of our hearts.

I looked for them,

but could not see them.

When you hold me,

I can hear them

swirling around us,

encircling us as if dancing.

Even now,

all these years later,

you still fill me

with beautiful light

that has only grown brighter.

When you tell me that

you love me,

and we share a kiss,

I can hear them

riffling through the air with joy.

When the kiss ends,

I turn to look out at the sun.

I can see the leaves filling the sky,

flying up into the air,

carrying our love

into the clouds.