And Echoes

echoes: close parallels to ideas, feelings, or events

This way, that way My first thought upon seeing these signs was Alice In Wonderland, the many signs all pointing in different directions and not giving a real answer about where the paths go. Of course these signs do have place names, but this isn’t exactly Wonderland after all.

It’s funny, the way I ended up going was the only one which didn’t have a sign pointing it out. Sometimes you have to ‘go off the beaten track’, as they say, to get where you want to go.

Spiral gates with spider webs I remember when I used to be terrified of spiders. I always had to get my parents or siblings to catch them and put them outside- I could never do it then.

I still don’t like them very much, but it isn’t exactly a fear. I don’t scream and run away, unless they’re particularly large or on me. I can deal with them now, where I used to be afraid, now I can pick them up and put them outside.

Their webs are quite beautiful, the designs unique and special to each.

They look particularly delicate when covered in frost, the icy touch of cold turning the silken fibres into delicate lace.

By the bridge The little dirt track leads down to the riverside.

If you follow it, and sit quietly to wait, you may catch sight of some fish or ducks in the water.

Under the archway The end of the park.

Past this point are homes, pharmacies, opticians, corner and charity shops – the town.

The green bridge The green bridge, our meeting-place.

We would watch the house-boats drift down the river, their rippling wake a path for the ducks and swans to follow.

At the end of the boards lies the park, with swing sets, slides and seesaws.

Gated pathway There’s a beginning to every story. Sometimes all it takes for it to start is opening a gate.

This gate is closed over, not fully shut. We aren’t the first to go through, who says we’ll be the last? We don’t even have to go through it, but we have to start somewhere.

A secret to lock away This padlock has been on this bridge for years.

I like to think it was put there to lock away a secret.

Bench of golden light We always stopped here on our way home from the park.

We would feed the ducks and watch them glide across the surface of the glittering water.

Grass is greener They say the grass is greener on the other side, and maybe they’re right.

On the other hand, maybe they just aren’t looking close enough on their side. It’s hard to see the brightness sometimes.

Let the light in Sometimes, to really appreciate things, we have to let things happen.

We have to leave windows open for a breeze, and leave the curtains open to see the stars.

Fallen fence There’s always a question of why things happen.

Why did it rain? Why did it snow?

Why did the fence fall?

Sometimes we won’t find the answer, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask the question.

Life, now in colour Green is the colour of life.

Life is taken from the world so quickly, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring it back.

Anja Pritchard