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Between Birth and Death
Cruising along an endless stretch of highway, pavement hard and smooth.
People staring straight ahead, not taking their eyes off the road.
The lines whisk past as dots that hypnotize, so boring and routine.
Without challenge, without change and such a waste of time.
Then suddenly, without warning, a detour sign ahead.
I turn the wheel, screech and skid, down a dirt road I know not where.
Stones fly from under my tires as I struggle to gain control.
I must slow down and keep my head, try to stay on course.
Lost, frightened and all alone on some lonesome backwoods road.
The bumps, ruts , twists and turns, will I ever make it through?
I take a deep breath, cautiously, progress, for what's ahead I do not know.
Yet as I go, I start to note the beauty along this road.
Then here and there I begin to see some others traveling here too.
They smile and nod with a knowing look, I no longer feel so alone.
There is a kindship here, an understanding too, that sets us apart from the rest.
Our road has the same destination, just a slightly different route.
We've learned some lessons, gained some skills that could only be learned here.
This road has taught us how rough life can be, but has made us much stronger indeed.
By Cynthia M. Bissell
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