AGREED DESTINATION

The young woman sat across from the not-so-young woman.


"Do you have any regrets?" she said suddenly.

They were finishing up eating their lunch and it was quiet since both had been very hungry. Not ready for conversation, it was a surprise and she nearly choked on her apple pie.

The not-so-young one put down her fork and looked off into space for a moment. The young one watched intently, trying to see if she could tell by her gestures, whether she was going to tell her the truth, what she really thought.

"No" she said finally with finality, and then shoveled another piece of crust into her mouth.

"None."

"Really?" The young one was not convinced.

"Even after all that's happened? How could you be so certain?"

The not-so-young one looked out the kitchen window and pondered the body of water before them. The waves were silent and the air was light, the water smooth and still, glassy and calm.

How to explain such realizations, such acceptance? she wondered to herself.

When will she realize sometimes the decisions are made for you and not by you?

The young one grew impatient, eating quicker and gulping her coffee. She shifted in her seat, but did not press for more information.

After a few more moments they both spied a row of ducks, slowly gliding across the water. One behind the other, they moved silently forward, all in unison and heading towards an agreed destination.

For a few moments they sat frozen as they watched the ducks take turns in leading, one moving ahead of the other, another one falling behind to let the new leader in.

Before long another duck decided to forge ahead, and they were quick to fill in the gaps left by their decision.

"My life has been like the rhythm of those ducks," the not-so-young said to the young one.

"Sometimes I have been the leader of my life, sometimes I have fallen to the back and let life lead me.

Sometimes I would glide beside another's life, and sometimes I would just let life carry me, not caring where it led. Every thing that has happened, was supposed to happen."

The young one looked out towards the ducks, almost out of their view now, able to see the final flit of their tails before they blended in with the horizon.

"You're goofy" the young one said with a smile.

Winking, the not-so-young one lifted up the last forkful of pie.

"Yeah, but it works for me" and she stood up to signal lunch was over. She wondered when she would get it.

"Come again soon and don't forget the bread."

"For what?" The young one said as she walked towards the door.

"You have to feed your ducks" the not-so-young one answered, finally smiling for real.

"You have to feed your ducks."

Feed your ducks. Feed your life. Live.



From "Rhythm & Rhymes of the Heart, 2002-2004"