River of life

We took the dog for a walk on the other side of the city today, along the river through trees and ferns and hills. It's a walk I used to do with someone else, years ago, in what feels like another lifetime, in fact. I've avoided this place for ages, until I could be sure that all the ghosts had left the forest. Today, in bright sunshine and a sweet September breeze, everything was as it should be, with only the living present.