Neither Here nor There: Under a tree, on the back of reptile

I went for a walk today because I am trying to learn to sit still. I walked until the pit in my stomach worked its way up to my heart and then walked faster so my heart pumped the knot into my throat. I arrived at a small park and climbed on the back of the stone turtle just as the lump threatened to dissolve and leak out my eyes. Boo hoo, Kate. You're sitting on giant stone turtle, under a purple crepe myrtle.

And then: HA HA! KATE!

YOU'RE SITTING ON A GIANT STONE TURTLE/

UNDER A PURPLE CREPE MYRTLE!

And in that moment, the purple of the flowers the perfect shade of my shoes, I was reminded once over how much I love rhymes; how gently the rhythm of words can carry you forward and set you down gently in a new place, even while you are learning, especially while you are learning, to sit very still and rest in the shade of a tree.