October 25th, Walking in the glow.

When I conceived of the idea of the Silent Walks, I was imagining a night like October 25th. Darkness makes the woods primordial. Our own lost contours were visual signs of the feeling of belonging: Whitman's dilation. Maybe the glowing colors of the trees in the fading twilight, and the luminosity of the river once we emerged on the bluff, and the return walk under the half moon, will be conveyed in these photographs, but the experience cannot. Consider these as documents of a memory we share but can never capture.

Note the glow-bracelet. That was important on the walk back.

The air seemed slightly colored, as if it took on all the gold and amber of the leaves overhead and underfoot. The aroma of fallen leaves and distant wood smoke filled the air. When we came out of the trees onto the bluff, I heard someone gasp and understood why--the unexpected brilliance of the evening sky reflected in the river. Lights sparkled from just below us all the way to the bridge. It was breath-taking.

Gilded domes in the forest canopy. The flat and luminous glow of October's twilight. I can forgive Maxfield Parrish.

My first Silent Walk exceeded all of my expectations...breezy, calm, meditative and incredibly inspiring and energizing!

We have to name this one, "The Glow Walk." From the glowing leaves to the glowing moon, to the flickering lights of our sleepy village, Newburgh and Beacon, to even our glow stick bracelets! The walk was the best one yet!

Red sun setting. Hearing animals and footsteps. Half moon in the sky. Darkness all around. Familiar trail. No fear.

Great sound.
(Sound recording to be posted shortly...)

At the end of the walk, we shared our thoughts and some apples. There was an awareness of the dark, but comfort in the group. The next walk is November 24, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Bring a flashlight and a friend.