I came upon him in the woods; sitting on a bench nestled among a patch of wild ferns growing along the trail; dapples of sunlight playing on his face. I could tell, even behind sunglasses that his eyes were closed in quiet contemplation. Perhaps it was the tilt of his head or the relaxed posture of his shoulders; regardless, though I was surprised and delighted to find him there, I didn’t want to intrude.

I stood for a moment in silence, watching him; still trying to grasp the fact that he was actually there, when he patted the empty spot on the bench next to him and said, “Why don’t you come sit.” Only then, when I took a step toward him, did he look in my direction and smile.

“What are you doing here,” I asked. “What took you so long,” he replied.

I sat beside him; and after a moments hesitation I humbly answered, “I thought he was a sage, sent to help me find my way; turns out he was insane, and I, nothing but a pawn in one of his wicked games.” He shook his head slowly, as if he understood completely. “What exactly was it you were hoping to find?” I shrugged my shoulders, but he wasn’t buying it; still, I didn’t know what to say.

We sat for several minutes, basking in the natural wonders surrounding us; each lost in separate thought, both thinking the same thing.

“It’s easy to see that you’re on the right path; you just need to have a little more faith is all; but I can tell that faith doesn’t come easy for you, does it?” I shook my head, but said nothing. He took my hand and held it in his, “While I can’t guide you in matters of faith, I’ll be happy to help you in mastering your craft.”

“And how will you do that,” I finally asked. “By encouraging when you stumble, flounder and flail, and watching as you flourish, spread your wings and sail. I’ve been here all along, I’m not going anywhere; and if you allow me, I’ll be your confidant and friend…”

I moved a little closer, leaned my head on his shoulder; took a deep breath and let out a slow sigh of relief. “Thank you, Walter,” I whispered in my sleep.