Two Paths

In the amber hush of trees,  

the world paused, holding its breath.  

Two paths stretched like open arms,  

inviting a choice I wasn’t ready to make.  

I wanted the certainty of footsteps,  

the echo of others who had gone before.  

But life doesn’t hand you maps,  

just crossroads and gut feelings.  

One path gleamed with polished promises,  

the other spoke in the dialect of shadows.  

I craved the courage to leap  

without knowing where I would land.  

Leaves curled like question marks beneath me,  

waiting for my answer to the earth.  

I stepped where the silence dared,  

where the grass whispered, **welcome, try.**  

Years later, I’ll trace the footprint,  

name it mine, stretch the story until  

it fits the man I’ve become—  

a traveler who let choices carve his trail.