Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends

Shel Silverstein is by far one of my favorite authors of all time. It's obvious by the amount of space he occupies on my book shelf dedicated to children's literature.

This poem has a particularly interesting interpretation of life. It talks about a life filled with optimism and hope, but in order to get to that point, one must overcome personal challenges and fears. It's almost as if chaos is necessary for change to occur and to help us realize that we do have a choice in which path to take in life, in order to reach a point of serenity and happiness within our lives, and more importantly, ourselves. That is the place where the sidewalk ends.

I want to take this opportunity to dedicate this poem to Paul. Babe, I know that it's been a difficult and challenging transition for you. You've certainly had your share of difficulties and frustrating circumstances these past few weeks. I'm excited to help you get settled in and for all the adventures we have in store for us.