I'm very quietly walking down a mountain trail back in the wilderness country. Not a man has been seen for two days and only the forest and the wildlife can be heard. I'm nearing a high mountain lake now and hear the sound far off of the call of the loon. I quietly approach the lake and now sit in the grass above the lake. The lake is smooth as glass. Then I see the loon as she calls out. Her beautiful sound rolls across the waters and echo off the hill side and back. Then nothing. Only the sound of a soft gentle wind moving through the trees. I sit and watch her. With each call it reminds me of my loneliness and a tear fills my eye for both of us. Her call is for a mate to come and be part of her life. Yet with each call I can hear the pain of a lost love or hurt. So strong is the hurt that a wall is built up around her heart. Yet she calls out. She knows with each call that it could bring danger from the sky or land. Yet inside the love is strong and calls out again hoping someone will come and tear down the walls. Still only the wind answers. Now she goes about her work and soon calls out again hoping. Her tones burned deep inside me and I will hear her song throughout eternity. I move on now. On down the trail and I can still hear her call out. I see that I will soon be out of range and hope she will call out one more time as I leave. No longer can I hear her and wonder now if she will ever know that she left my life just a little richer. I wonder if I should past her again and hope next time I hear her song of love instead of loneness. I hope so and my life would be even richer.