The Take

He is winding the watch of his wit; by and by it will strike.

William Shakespeare

I believe that all of us, no matter who we are or what we do, share a common dream. The circumstances and actualities may vary wildly, but the thread links us all. To feel alive. To experience the quintessence of a thrill that can never fade from our memories. To find that sanctuary of satisfaction only available in that place we run to; our dreams. And some of us even have the chance to live this dream. At first thought it is as though a certain level, or plateau has been attained but, still, it recurs, probably now more intensely, over and over again. We become slaves to its power, seeking the intoxicating pleasure of its sweet nectar over and over again.

My tiny dry rides the crest of a loop to land quietly, perfectly, a medium distance away near the top of a deepening trough that parallels a shallow shiver of faster water, and begins its journey. It reminds me of a tiny sailboat, wings eloquently catching the morning sun as it is carried effortlessly downstream through the convolutions. Shortly, its destination is close at hand, the journey nearly complete. There is another who waits for its arrival. Two rocks dividing the current at the end of the shiver hide a predator. In the shadows, he masks his presence with supreme patience and coloration, biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment...