Trillium

Inbetween rainstorms, I saddled Autumn up and headed out to the forest trails. 

Entrance into the forest.

Upon entering the woods, Autumn stopped.  She was positioned in front of and overgrown path that ran straight through my memories.  The trillium trail.

Yes.  That trial is heading straight up!

Before Autumn was old enough to ride, I would take her for walks through the forest.  On one such walk, upon entering the woods, she stopped and looked intently at a vertical mountain path.  I coaxed her to follow me but she just wouldn't budge.  In fact, she began to drag me towards it.  Her persistence kidnapped my curiosity. I slipped off her halter and decided to see what her intent was.  
She started up the steep and muddy slope, stopped, turned her head toward me and gave me the well are you coming or not? look.  I gave her a pat on the rump and off we went.  She ducked under low tree limbs and stepped over fallen trees.  When the brush got too thick to pass Autumn would turn around and find a new passage to continue on with her journey.  Brambles tangled around us but lost their hold on us as we continued upwards.  She held a steady, almost urgent pace, as I traipsed in wonder behind her.  If I fell to far behind she would stop and wait patiently until I caught up and off again she would go. 
The path opened up to a flat area, just big enough for Autumn and I to stand.  We were encircled by trees whose branches touched above us and whose leaves of past now rested brown and yellow beneath our feet.  Autumn looked at me and then down at the ground.  I came close beside her. 

With her nose she touched the pink petals of a solitary trillium.  I bent down and Autumn touched her soft muzzle against my hand.  I marveled at Autumn.  Could she have taken me all the way up here to show me this flower?  How could she have known it was here?  This overgrown trail had not been tread upon in ages according to all the thorns now pricked into my body.   Her warm muzzle pushed me out of my thoughts and towards this little flower.  I picked it. 
Autumn lifted her head with me as I stood up.  Without hesitation, she started back down the path we came and I followed.  We walked all the way back to the barn that day together, side by side.  In my hand I held a bewildering gift that my great friend had given me that has transformed itself into the greatest of memories.  I later learned that a trillium flower symbolizes purity, beauty and healing...all of what I appreciate in Autumn.  Amazement, wonder and what my heart felt that day keep that memory with Autumn filled with magic and the love I have for her.

Autumn's trillium. 
I keep it pressed and tucked into a favorite book.

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