The Unicorn

One day as I was walking through a forest filled with beautiful fall colors I noticed that the browns, reds, yellows and greens of fall were bright and alive.  The breeze that was caressing my warm skin was crisp and cool but very refreshing.  The trees were swaying their majestic heads gently in the breeze and it sounded like sighing as it passed through their branches.  The creatures of the forest were busily gathering their harvests for the approaching winter and I could hear their endless chatter as I walked along.  The birds were singing their fall songs to one another and to me.  The small brook beside the path was lazily trickling by.  Gently bubbling and singing its own song.  The forest was alive with the symphony of nature. 
         As I walked farther into the forest, I realized that the forest had changed without me realizing it.  I came to a clearing of rich green grass, filled with beautiful fall flowers.  In amongst the flowers and grass, stood a creature I had only read about.  A mystical, mythical, magical creature of days gone by.
         He stood there with his regal head down, contentedly eating the grass.  He was as white as the winter’s first snowfall and his body was impressively muscular.  His eyes were the richest color of blue, which I have yet to see again.  He was a vision of sheer grace and beauty.  I could not turn away from the vision before me.
         As I stood there watching him, he raised his head, flicked his snow-white mane and tail in the air.  It was then that I saw the horn on his head.  It too was white, but in the sunshine it sparkled like diamonds.  As he nodded his head, he spoke to me in the only way that he knew how.  His whinnying and neighing was like the sweetest music to my ears.  I knew in my heart that he wasn’t afraid of me and I wasn’t afraid of him.
         Slowly I approached him.  He stood there watching me approach.  As I drew nearer, our eyes locked on each other’s.  In his eyes I saw the loneliness that he was feeling and I realized then that I shared his feelings as well. 
         I timidly reached up with my hand and gently caressed his neck.  I could feel the heat of his body and the gentle beating of his heart under my hand.  As I ran my hand down his neck, he lowered his regal head and rested it gently upon my shoulder.  I could feel his warm breath on my cool skin.  I ran my fingers through the soft hair of his mane and it felt as soft as a newborn baby’s hair.  I could feel his massive muscles as they rippled under the gentle touch of my hand.  Slowly I hugged this beautiful creature to me and he showed no fear.
         I could feel his loneliness radiating off his body as it mixed with my own.  My heartbeat was matching his, beat for steady beat.  I was in such awe of this beautiful creature.  Such power, grace, respect and love.  We stood that way for what felt like an eternity.  Me hugging him and he nuzzling close to me.  All around us the forest was alive with activity and sounds, but neither one of us seemed to notice.  It was just the two of us, bonding and sharing this moment in time together.  Each of us feeling our own feelings and hearing our hearts beating as one.
         I slowly released my hold on his neck, but did not fully remove my hands.  He lifted his head and looked at me.  His eyes were sparkling with his yet unshed tears.  I watched as his tears slide off his lower lashes and dropped from his eyes.  I gently reached up with my finger and wiped away a single tear.  On my finger it sparkled and shone in the sunlight.  I touched my cheek and felt the dampness there.  I too was crying.  I had to wonder whether we were crying from the loneliness or the sadness we both seemed to be feeling or from the sheer joy of the moment that we had just shared.
         I let my hands drop to my sides and stepped back, to admire this beautiful but lonely creature.  He nodded his head and reared up on his hind legs.  It was his way of saying goodbye.  He lowered himself to all fours and slowly turned away.  He did not run but just slowly walked away, with a final flick of his snow-white tail.
As I stood there watching him leave, he stopped at the edge of the clearing and turned his head to look back at me.  His eyes still sparkled with his unshed tears but he held his head high.  With a final neigh, he turned away and was gone.  I stood there watching.  I couldn’t bring myself to move because I was filled with such heart stopping emotions.  Sadness, loneliness, joy and love.  I felt my own tears still coursing down my cheeks and slowly reached up to wipe them away.  I turned and slowly left the clearing behind me.
I slowly made my way back through the forest with a heavy heart.  I heard the same sounds of the forest on my way back but my mind was on that beautiful creature.  Was it real or did I just imagine him?  If he was real, was he the only one of his kind left in this world and I wondered if that was why he was suffering from such loneliness and heartache. 
As I left the forest and the clearing behind, I took with me the vision of and the moment with the unicorn.  The spirit of the unicorn will live within me always.  It will live in my memory and in my heart.  I can still feel his loneliness living inside of me with every breath I take and with every day that I live.
When I close my eyes I can still see him standing there amongst the lush green grass and the beautiful fall flowers and colors.  I see him standing there in all his white regal beauty and glory.  Beautiful, regal, sad and so alone.  I still have a heavy heart that shares the unicorn’s loneliness and sadness.  Whenever I cry I picture the tears that sparkled and shone from the unicorn’s eyes.  We shared one moment in time but through each other we shared a lifetime together.