Afternoon light on restless water,
shadows cast by small children
investigating this expanse of shell, seaweed and sand.
A young boy diligently carries a spadeful of sand across the beach
depositing it for his own good reason some distance away.
He is of course dreaming of building and conquest,
and rightly so for this is his inheritance
in the wider scheme of things,
and his actions privately comprehended
will move towards more tangible outcomes in later life.
He shows determination to explore,
to cross river boundaries and climb mountains
in his imagination
as he navigates this new found beach.
As adults we often lose the art of exploration
as we settle for our narrow familiar worlds,
and wander not beyond the commonplace
of our own seemingly stable lives.
I wrote this poem about my grandson. As I watched him on the beach I was challenged concerning my willingness, or lack of it, to keep the art of exploration a part of my life.
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