Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the story titled, Vision Quest, one of 56 short stories in the new book Let the Wonder Never Cease by educator and outdoor enthusiast, Michael Kinziger.
…“There does come a time when doubt and uncertainty enters the mind. What was I expecting? Whatever it was didn’t materialize. Feeling disappointed, I lay down on my sleeping pad, eyes still wide open and just listened and laid there. It was almost daylight when I suddenly sat bolt upright and it hit me… my vision. It was simple and profound. What I was looking for was what I already had… a good job, loving daughters, a comfortable home, great friends and so much more. That revelation was intense right to my core. Tears streaked down my face. I wanted to scream and tell the world how fortunate I was to live the life that I was living. Most of all, I wanted to be in the company of my daughters and tell them about my experience.
Slightly after daylight, I packed up but before I broke camp, I hiked to the base of a steep rock face and discovered a small pool of water. I bent over to view my reflection and at that moment, I reached into my day pack and pulled out my Swiss Army Knife. With the scissors, I cut off my beard, and with the knife, I hacked off as much as possible of the remaining stubble. I had at that moment removed a beard that I had carried with me for 27 years, ever since I returned from my overseas military assignment during the Vietnam conflict. So many powerful messages encased my mind during that twelve-hour stretch of time.
I returned to the base camp anxious to share my ordeal only to discover that everyone else had also experienced self-discovery of one form or another. The scene around our closing campfire will never be forgotten.
I returned home. My daughters were stunned when they saw me. They all ran to one of the rooms in our home and huddled together laughing and pointing at their father’s new appearance. And then, of course, there were hugs, more tears, lots of love, and a special whisker rub for the first time in their lives.” …
About the Book:
The book’s title is “Let the Wonder Never Cease”. The “wonder” of course is “life” and much of the author’s personal wonder. Everyone who reads the 56 short stories and views the photos of the adventures, insights and reminiscings will be reminded that our life stories carry on beyond our time and do not “Cease”. While reading the book, the author will not be surprised if there are tears, laughter and moments when the reader is surprised or moved. The book can be found on Amazon.
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