Release me into the wild

Photo @blinky264

When I am old and grey, release me into the wild, so that time's etching on my weathered hands can no longer hinder my spirit's journey.

When my body, once vibrant and strong, becomes a mere vessel and is no longer useful for toil, release me into the wild.

When my voice falters and opinions, honed by a lifetime of contemplation, can no longer dance along the lines of agreeability. When my tongue rebels against silence and yearns to vocalize the truth of what I've seen, what I've felt, what I've experienced—unfiltered and raw. When the illusion of our togetherness dissolves, and the stark reality of our enduring, engineered, and controlled isolation becomes painfully apparent, allow me to break free.

When the societal constructs we've meticulously built, designed to bind us in servitude from the moment of our inception, no longer find a willing home within the chambers of my mind. When I can no longer accept the fact that we are born and raised to work and told that this is the normal, healthy, functioning way of the world. When the relentless beat of progress, unfeeling and inhuman, fails to resonate in my weary heart. When my vision, worn by a lifetime of being held captive by screens, becomes veiled in darkness, and the voices of politicians, celebrities, and influencers blur into a cacophony of deception and relentless hawking.

Release me into the wild.

When the wise are afraid to speak their minds or risk offending the ignorant, and the prison walls we've constructed around ourselves crystallize, obscuring everything else. Release me into the wild, into the sanctuary of the wilderness, before I grow old enough to see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren sacrifice themselves to the same gods that have oppressed everyone I have ever known, generation after generation. Let the lords of commerce and capital and exploitation feast upon the ruins.

Drive me to the very edge of the woods, where civilization's touch begins to fade, and set me free.

Allow me to stand upon the fertile earth, my feet sinking into its rich embrace as I inhale the crisp, untainted air that fills the forest. With trembling hands, weathered and wise, let me touch the rough bark, trace the intricate branches, and feel the gentle rustle of leaves against my skin.

Release me into the wild, so that I may rediscover the essence of freedom that stirs within my soul. Lay me gently upon the ground, where I can reach out and immerse my hands in the earth's embrace. Let the soil's cool, moist touch beckon to me, whispering secrets of the past and futures yet to unfold. Let me ponder the profound realization that the ground I tread upon contains the remnants of our ancestors, silently nurturing life's eternal cycle and dreaming of the day when I will join them.

Release me into the wild, that I may reclaim the untamed spirit that resides within me, and once again become intertwined with the mystical fabric that entangles all living beings. Let me bask in the enchantment of nature's unseen mycelium, weaving a tapestry of life through the very air around me. As I breathe in the essence of the forest, may the symphony of universal understanding caress my senses, reminding me of the profound interconnectedness of every exhale and inhale—a symbiosis that transcends the boundaries of time and space and understanding.

When I am old and grey, release me into the wild so that I may finally live.