In the silence of 11,000 feet,
thunder rumbles a mountain away.
The wind talks softly through the spruce.
The aspens, now green with yellow highlights, flutter gently.

Cold downdrafts pull down the mountain.
The smell of rain mixes with scents of autumn.
Far down below, clear waters roll over rocks and cascade their way to the valley floor.

In the midst of the moment, as crisp as this morning’s first frost, life becomes clear.  
Time slows just enough to reveal how fast life has gone.
And the changing season echoes remembrance of seasons passed, chapters closed, and those left back in the fog of time.

In the depths of pondering what has passed, thoughts turn to what comes next.
And what comes next is the most powerful thought in framing life’s paradigm.

What comes next:
A source of fear
A source of hope.
Fuel for worry,
or a source of energy for our passions and ambitions.

It will frame our contentment.
It will affect those we love.
It will drive our thoughts.
And our thoughts become our destiny.

“What comes next…” leads us over the next ridge, farther up the stream, and another five minutes into the fading light.

Man’s heart will decide what comes next, and the Lord will set the Way. 
Be deliberate.  Be thoughtful.
Be judicious with the time you have.
Because soon enough the time you had will leave little opportunity for what comes next.