As Zach Medlin strolled beneath the canopy of Kiroli Park in West Monroe’s quiet embrace,
The rustling of the leaves and the chorus of birdsong brought serenity to that sacred place,
Each breath of wind and flutter of wings seemed to speak directly to his soul,
Filling his heart with calm and wonder, as if nature itself sought to make him whole.
By his side ran Serena, his one-eyed Staffordshire terrier, lively and free,
Her paws carried her swiftly to the water’s edge where ducks darted playfully,
The chase was her delight, the thrill of motion her simple joy that day,
While Zach let his eyes wander slowly, allowing the world to guide his way.
There among the underbrush, half-hidden in the quiet earth so still,
He saw a small, square gravestone, weathered by time and bent to nature’s will,
Its presence seemed humble, yet it carried a weight that drew him near,
A silent voice calling out from the past, whispering secrets for him to hear.
He bent to brush away the fallen leaves that time had scattered across the face,
And with each stroke the stone revealed a message etched with tenderness and grace,
The simple words inscribed there stopped him in his tracks, heavy and profound,
A story of love and loss was waiting, silent yet echoing without sound.
For in those lines was not just memory, but a fragment of life’s fleeting song,
A testament that even in passing, love endures, unbroken and strong,
It was as though the spirit beneath the soil reached upward through the stone,
To share a truth with Zach that day—that no one is ever truly alone.
A lump formed gently in his throat as he stood in the forest’s embrace,
Feeling a human connection that transcended both distance and time’s space,
This quiet encounter had bridged two lives, one present and one long gone,
Proving that stories carved in stone can live forever, passing love along.
He wondered about the person whose name had weathered in the rain,
What joys they had cherished, what sorrows, what laughter, what pain,
Though the details remained a mystery, the message they left was clear,
That even in silence, remembrance speaks loudly to those who come near.
This discovery struck him deeply, a reminder of what it means to be,
That even in death, the human heart still reaches across eternity,
Through symbols and stories, through stones in the grass and whispers in the trees,
We find connection, love, and meaning carried softly on the breeze.
When Zach left the park that day, the memory followed close behind,
A testament to the enduring power of love, etched forever in his mind,
For though his walk through the woods came to its gentle, natural end,
The lesson of that gravestone lived on—our stories can always touch another friend.