Serenity

Serenity

It was Donny who discovered the small, mineral rich hot springs on Casey’s family farm. Massachusetts had its share of hot springs and after studying the local topography, Don guessed that there was a chance a spring or two was hidden somewhere near the lake and hills just beyond the apple orchard.

They had all thoroughly enjoyed his discovery; soaking in both the heat and the minerals was beneficial to sore muscles and aching joints alike.

It helped too that the surroundings were tranquil, private, serene, and picturesque. Trees surrounded the springs, but they weren’t so close that they blocked out the sun. For a group of Turtles, it was a vacation spot vastly more alluring than the most famous of resorts.

New York had seen a hard winter and when spring finally rolled around, April had suggested that they all needed a good long break at the farm. Enthusiasm ran high and in only a few hours the group had packed up both the van and travel trailer and headed out of the city.

Leo noticed that the first thing Don did after situating his belongings was to take a walk in the direction of the springs. For someone with such a brilliant mind, Don enjoyed the simplest of things, finding beauty in objects others considered insignificant. That was one of the things that Leo loved about his brother.

They had been at the farm for a couple of days, winding down and making needed repairs around the place. Leo and Don hadn’t had any quality time together and from the looks Don had thrown his way throughout the day that was soon to change.

Dusk approached with its long shadows and since Leo hadn’t seen his genius brother in over an hour, he went upstairs to find him. As Leo started up towards the loft, he met Don coming down.

With a soft smile, Don tossed a towel to Leo and draped one of his own around his neck. Words were unnecessary; Leo immediately turned and walked back downstairs with Donny right behind him.

Their family and friends watched the pair leave the farmhouse together. No one said a thing because the towel across Don’s neck was a signal to them all. It was difficult for Don to completely relax; near impossible for him to disconnect that freight train of a brain of his.

The hot springs did that for Don and they worked the best when there were no loud or boisterous distractions. Leonardo was the only one that Don could share that time with, his oldest brother had an inner serenity that went well with the solitude that Donatello longed for.

Together they sat in the hot springs, Don leaning back in Leo’s arms. The sky above them was bright with stars, the air crisp enough to add to the enjoyment of basking in the wet heat.

Don shared the names of the constellations with Leo, told him which bird or insect the nights sounds belonged to. His soft voice wove a sweet tapestry around his brother as Don explained how certain plants produced the scents that filled the night air.

Leo smiled when Don gasped at sighting his first firefly of the season, turning his head to follow the tiny insect’s flight. In a voice filled with awe, Don spoke of cold light and soft glows in a single sentence.

It was through Don’s eyes that Leo truly appreciated the beauty all around him. He had long ago discovered that beauty seen alone was not nearly as incredible as that shared with someone you loved.

And as beautiful as nature was, in Leo’s eyes it didn’t hold a candle to Don’s unique inner beauty. That was something that Leo wanted to savor for an eternity.