Wayfarer

A while back
I was walking through the stacks
of my
local library
pulling books off the shelf,
randomly skimming,
appreciating little kernels of insight
––where––
I found them.

I was the only one on the floor;––there's something
serenely exciting
about answering the quiet call to adventure,
––which––
dusty call numbers make...

I came across the driest text––both in content and appearance... something about
database internals implementations.

Flipping through each chapter, as though I'd find some long forgotten secrets;
I found something better––

Each chapter began with a quote.
*I'd like to share my favorite:*

Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.

Wayfarer, the only way
Is your footprints and no other.
Wayfarer, there is no way.
Make your way by going farther.
By going farther, make your way
Till looking back at where you've wandered,
You look back on [the] path you may
Not set foot on from now onward.
Wayfarer, there is no way;
Only wake-trails on the waters.

Translation by Rafael Rolón-Muñiz

Fellow travelers,
I wish you well on *your journey*,
Perhaps,
we may wander
'cross each other's
paths. In any case,;;;
here's to you,
and
here's to me,
,,Caminante