Oh little one, how far you will go.
YouՉre made from the trees; Tall & strong.
You shall endure hardships & trails
but my faith in humanity remains.
They shall set you free until you make it to the open waters,
experiencing animals and life that is not near here.
On your journey donՉt be afraid.
I pray the gunshots over head are for resources,
not that of rage and revenge.
I pray you hear laughter on the banks and smell a familyՉs picnic.
This time of year, not so long ago that river bank had a man losing his battle;
no laughter in sight but instead a rope in his hand.
I lost a good friend there on that river bank because his journey became too much.
As you go, remember that each person you encounter has a story.
Beware of the hook at the end of the line - swim faster so your body does not become scarred.
Soon you will see that this place becomes cold, you may become frozen to the land but know there is hope.
One day, the sun will shine its warmth and set you free.
Take hold of that freedom and continue on.
DonՉt forget to look behind you, there may be a sweet child chasing you down because they finally found their treasure.
At the same time, donՉt only look behind, because ahead there is a beaver dam.
The dam clogs the bend, but it is better than the pollution that surrounds you.
I am sorry if you end up dragging an old Walmart bag with you,
we humans can be selfish and rude.
Yet I remind you, never lose faith in the world around you.
It was created to be explored -
so go far and find a new home outside of my wooden drawer.