I never met him, this gentle man whose words have changed the way I think.

I have learned never to take water for granted.

It isn’t often that I travel far from the mountain, but when I do I find myself searching for it when I return.

I thank you Mother Earth, for nurturing my body, my mind, and my soul.

These trees and this pond with its surrounding field became my playground and my refuge. Although I would not have described it this way then, I realize now it was my first intimate experience with nature.

The sense of wonder I felt at the extraordinary vastness of the world above me.