Riverwest hugs the River and the River hugs back. Most of the land in the River Valley as it runs through the neighborhood has been allowed to revert to wildness. Eudemon hikes down the trail to the River through the Koenen land preserve at the Friend’s Center. This neighborhood jewel is hidden at the end of East Auer Avenue at North Gordon Place. The Friend’s Center is set in the woods atop the valley and overlooks the River. It is Sunday. It is a gray cold winter morning. Eudemon walks down to the edge of the River and gazes at a small rapids. It is a good place to meditate. Eudemon is searching for peace. He is searching for a quiet place where outer peace will lead to inner peace. It is a little after 10 in the morning when Eudemon enters the Friend’s Center and greets the greeter. He walks into the meeting room and sits down. The Friends are in repose. Chairs are set in concentric circles. About half the chairs are filled with adults in meditation. Kids are downstairs doing seasonal activities. They will join the group later. The room has a curved wall with large windows that face the woods and River where Eudemon was just walking. Eudemon’s gaze is drawn to the windows. He loves looking out these windows. Eudemon ponders the seemingly chaotic tangle of limbs and branches framed by the windows. The shape of the trees defined by an ever-changing environment. So many elements: the sun, the shade, the wind, the slope, the water, the soil, the animals, the seasons, the temperature, the genomes of the trees, all these things giving voice to the creator and definition to the forest. A voice inside him says: Oh Meteor, Oh Ray, Oh Cosmic particle undefined Strike the tree and our souls And grant us an epiphany Bring us Peace in 2003 Riverwest Currents – Volume 2 – Issue 1 – January 2003