Reassurance markers

On a trail,
a carved wooden sign, faded and weathered gray,
a small metal marker nailed to the rough bark of a tree,
a rock cairn - a sentinel of confidence.
Confirmations that although I might feel lost,
really I am not.
Or, perhaps, if I am, it's okay.
I will eventually find my way.

With pen and paper, in a book or in a song,
when someone else puts my feelings into words
in a way that I have been unable to do.
Providing a way out, an escape.
Helping me better understand my place in the world,
or inviting a quick glance through someone else's perspective.
Validation and understanding joined like colors,
creating a new shade of compassion.

Within me,
the peace that comes with making the right choice,
or sometimes just the act of making a choice,
following the right path for right now.
Being intentional and present.
Listening. Seeking. Discovering.

Realizing that the stones of my experience
might become a marker,
a rock cairn for someone else,
someone like me, who is looking
for small assurances along the way.