Lately.

If there's anything I've found to inspire thought, it's nature.

The illusive lately has me set in a routine. Schedules that vary by a power I don't possess, weighing obligation and desire, avoiding the syndrome that seems to strike most that have traveled by similar means. The difference between letdown and consistency is beckoning; I know some who fail to walk on the side of the road that allows for vision of oncoming danger.

It's amazing to see the ones who fall merciless to a good game. Ease in reversing heartache blends its way undetected into the air of shared space. It may be dangerous to dangle your head out of the window, but far worse to breathe the sweetness of something new. The driver, dedicated and aware, is helpless. The common passenger's seat occupant finds a stiff seat in the unfamiliar territory of a stuffy backseat, replacement breathing deeply. Backseat plays spectator to the driver's falter as eyes lock. The sights that fill your eyes change your life, as simple as blurring trees and white lines. Danger seems a better alternative as the navigation falters with realization. An obsessive constant leads to lack of transportation, your car's wreckage. Can you stand to stand still? The answer screams and our backseat friend covers their ears on impact. We all have filthy hands.

The difference in day is far more than a name or a ticking clock. Today, we watch the birds search for home. Leaves and sticks show intentions to make a legacy, something to live on when they can't make it to rooftops. Nestled away, they hide from bullies with penchants for anything fragile. Today, we sit on balconies and in stuffy backyards, on wicker furniture without cushions, and watch. The wind blows, the trees move, but the ones on the horizon remain stoic. It's hard to assume much of anything if you observe long enough.

Yesterday, we stayed inside, succumbed to wage and equal parts laziness and movement. We spilled soup and saw the world outside only from the confines of rush hour traffic. It's easy to predict what we create. First comes introduction, next some lists, running back and forth, a book, exchange, then one party says goodbye. This isn't the grounds for a friendship; it's service. It's a means of cash flow and plenty of busy work. Nothing steals your breath but an absence of the last one or two steps.

Tomorrow, maybe we'll take time to make the best of our surroundings. Maybe we wind the windows down and rest by a body of water before timeliness calls. What if we woke up early enough to watch for any hint of movement on the horizon? My dream saw it changed. Only a resting mind can see a roller coaster's car racing tornadoes. In the blink of an eye, your state changes. You're no longer someplace where you're hardly known, and now you have people to please and place to be seen. A second round at dreaming shows the consequences of acting quickly. Difficulty in bending, excessive soreness; the warning signs read like a pill bottle's label. Everyone may need our help, but never forget to help yourself. When was the last time you found yourself thinking I don't want to be happy? Slow songs and sights set on the foreboding lead to an eventual snap back to reality, for most.

I don't strive to know everything- this way, I can always be surprised. A first taste of what love really is intertwines with too many hours on end of monotony and seems to erase them all. It's like coming home, enjoying the success of the day before it actually ends. Depends on no one; instead, look to a trusted few. Keep your happiness within yourself; allow them to magnify it. Love someone by making them a part of your life instead of all of it. That way, they can enjoy its view by your side, instead of constantly blocking the beautiful things that otherwise, you'd be left unaware of.

I've found myself fond of attaching certain attributes to the people I love. Things that prove they're more than just a passage of time, but a companion. A wide-eyed blonde to most, to me you're long limbs and a the way your inflection changes when you get excited (or grumpy). Another blonde, intimidatingly beautiful, with a calm that radiates within seconds of a newborn friendship. Then there's a brunette boy, as truly friendly as he is the moment you make his acquaintance. His smile is honest, and flashes frequently, lighting up trusting eyes. My textbook definition of genuine, these faces I memorize with each new day.

Out of practice but not without passion, I'll continue to take in everything from the way the clouds twist to the unchanging white of the American dream's picket fence. On busy highways, cars scream as they past; their owners look uneasy. From an immobile perch, they pass by quietly, leaving only a faint woosh, and suddenly, their destination seems more leisurely. Their punctuality no longer in question, if nothing else, an outsider can enjoy the calm of their commute, even if it's anything but. There's always something to marvel at. Don't idle; seek one.