A bundled figure worked its way up the dirt road, moving slowly, but steadily. Several layers of clothing and a broad-brimmed hat protected the traveler from the elements, and also hid the traveler’s identity. The traveler carried a staff, leaning on it heavily with each step.

As the wind rose, the sound of the leaves clattering in the trees sounded like faint applause, congratulating the traveler for continuing to struggle on against the elements. The leaves were the traveler’s only companion.

Step by step, the traveler headed towards the main road. A car zoomed by, momentarily interrupting the tranquility of the scene. Briefly, the traveler’s head came up, tired eyes meeting the driver of the vehicle, and time stopped as the past and the present met.

The car sped off, and time resumed for the driver. However, for a brief moment, the driver was transported to a simpler time, and the traveler was an observer of a much more fast-paced world. For a moment, the driver and traveler traded places, but then life went on.