Part 76
The days turned into weeks,
and the spring heat grew more consistent,
inviting us to explore the further boundaries of our massive estate.
One afternoon,
we walked down to the natural river that formed the southern border of our property,
flowing fast and clear from the high mountains.
The water was crystal clear,
so cold it sent a shiver through your hand if you dipped it in,
and filled with wild mountain trout.
I carried our son on my shoulders,
his small hands gripping my hair tightly as he looked down at the rushing water with absolute delight.
Khloe walked beside us,
her long skirt gathered in one hand as she stepped carefully over the mossy river stones.
We found a small,
secluded pebble beach where the river slowed down,
creating a calm,
shallow pool that was safe for exploration.
I set our son down,
and he immediately began to splash his feet in the shallow water,
shrieking with a mixture of shock and joy at the icy temperature.
The dog stood at the edge of the pool,
his eyes fixed on the boy,
his body tense and ready to spring into action if the water grew too deep.
Khloe sat on a large,
sun-warmed boulder,
removing her shoes to dip her own feet into the rushing current,
letting out a sharp,
refreshed breath.
"This water is pure magic,"
she said,
looking up at the canopy of ancient willow trees that overhung the river,
filtering the sunlight into shifting green patterns.
"It comes straight from the glacier,"
I noted,
joining her on the rock,
watching our son collect smooth,
rounded river pebbles with intense focus.
"We have our own water source,
our own power,
our own food,"
she whispered,
recounting the pillars of our absolute independence.
"If the rest of civilization collapsed tomorrow,
our lives wouldn't change by a single degree."
"That is the definition of true power,"
I replied,
putting my arm around her waist,
feeling the solid strength of her body against mine.
The world thought power was about commanding armies,
controlling media networks,
or shifting billions of dollars in stock markets.
But we knew that real power was the ability to live exactly how you choose,
completely untouched by the decisions of others.
We had achieved that power,
not by joining their hierarchy,
but by executing a brilliant exit strategy that left them completely powerless to affect us.
As the afternoon sun cast long,
rippling reflections across the moving water,
May you like
we sat in our hidden river sanctuary,
secure in the knowledge that our freedom was absolute and permanent.
