Finding Moments

Moving through tightly woven groves of young, thin, oaks
the air sits heavy on the skin like stepping into a sauna
wet earth mingles with decaying leaves, this odor of familiarity.

Trails walked more than just a time or two
a few look the same while a few testify that time changes all things, eventually.

Sticky sugar sand scatters across leafy debris,
every footstep kicking up more, unavoidable, annoying,
complaining quietly how it sticks to everything,
when a shout of excitement cuts through the air.

"There's one mommy!" My child points to the roots of an old, mossy tree
pointing, popping up from under the ground
splitting the layered blankets of composting leaves
a bright white cap shines brightly.

Snapping a picture, praising a good eye,
spotting orange, brown, white and yellow fungi
forgetting for the moment, the annoying sand sticking to our shoes.

Catching a deer only twenty yards away,
grazing through the leafy limbs
excitement hard to contain for a child of eight.

Quiet innocent whispers of 'Look mommy!'
Cause my chest to swell and my eyes to shine
the deer soon heads on its way
allowing us to continue,
documenting our fungi finds,
on a wet Texas day.