Retrospection

Today I decided to walk to the drugstore.

 So I left the Sweet 16 and headed toward the park.

Instead of walking on the sidewalk paths,

I cut straight across the park, knowing I'd reach

my destination much faster that way.

(something about shortest distance between two points...)

 The further I walked, 
the closer the CVS loomed 
in the distance...

 until,

  right before my eyes, 
it became totally evident, 

that the CVS I had always driven to 
via a very circuitous route from my house 
was actually just

RIGHT OVER THERE! 

 In fact, 
it appeared that if I kept walking 
in this direction, 
I would be there in less than five minutes.

Hmmm...
Now why hadn't I realized this before?

I mean, how easy could it be?
A mere ten-minute walk!

 And then it happened.

I reached the end of the park property and 
all at once,

the wide open range between me and my goal

became fully visible.

 The wide swath of rugged terrain 
and barren playa bowl 
were fully revealed.

Oh yeah...
that's why it's not a straight shoot...
never has been...
even though, for all the world, 
it sure looked like it from back there.

 And so I took the only way around...
across rugged trails, 

through snatches of free-range plant life,

 crossing two large parking lots and

buildings under construction 
to get to the drugstore.

 On the walk back home, 
it was just so very obvious.

Of course, 
there was always the drainage culvert and 
that huge expanse of rolling scrub.

I've seen it hundreds of times from the street.

 It was the lay-of-the-land 
that was always totally expected and viewed 
from the driver's seat in my car...

but down here in my walking shoes,

it was, 
for just a few moments in time, 
a totally new experience...
and just as real.