The Journey

I wake from my sleep covered in light morning dew. I rise and take deep breaths of crisp air into my lungs. There is a path in front of me that leads to a sea that is barely out of view. On either side of the path are tall pine trees that reach toward the heavens. Above lies a deep blue sky with visual remnants of dissipating stars. I take another breath and begin to walk as I exhale.

This path on which I walk is the path of acceptance. The path will get rough in some spots, only to be followed by ever smoother ground. Each hill I conquer is followed by an even larger one. I will navigate this path until the path finally runs into the sea. It will be a long journey, but it will all be worth it once I reach the vibrant waters.



This is the sea of understanding. The water and the sky appear to be the deepest shade of purple, but which is mirroring the other, I have yet to determine. As I enter the water I realize that I can only wade for so long and in order to reach the next part of my journey, I need to fully submerge. I will immerse every fiber of my being as I use the water as a means with which I will travel. Although the current will push against me in some spots and threaten to pull me under, I will persevere. I will persevere because the only way to transition my acceptance into understanding is with great amount of dedication in times of struggle. Finally, I fully understand the reason that I am here, though the reason quickly escapes my mental grasp. Nevertheless, I continue on.

As I swim, tall cliffs come into view. They rise out of the water as trees sprout from the ground, and their presence seemingly demands a silent reverence. As I near one cluster, I see that they are climbable, but I am urged by some force to press further on. I pass many clusters. Some reach higher than the clouds, others seem to sit unseen on the water like enormous lily pads.

Finally, I see the cliff that has been calling to me since I entered the sea. It is gigantic and has small divots scattered up the cliff as far as the eye can see. As I draw nearer, I realize that these are small caves, though they look only habitable for a short while. They must be caves for resting and shelter when the journey gets rough, but as with all things; the resting has a sure end.

I reach the cliff and know that it is time for me to leave the sea of understanding and scale this massive cliff. A task of this magnitude would have been impossible before the sea, but the waters have made my being strong and willing. I take one last gulp of the waters of understanding and begin my climb upon the cliff of truth.



The cliff strengthens my being as I make progress, but tears at it when I falter. I have been climbing so long that my conception of time has been replaced by the clarity of truth. I no longer am ruled by time, or smothered by anxiety. Truth is the nutrient that satisfies my soul and brings hope to me when I falter. I stop to rest only a few times within the vacant caves. These times are filled with reflection, but I am always urged onward by the yearning for more. I pass cloud after cloud and I feel that I am getting closer to the culmination of my journey.

As I reach my hand further up, as I have done so many times before, I reach flat rock. I pull myself up to rest on top of this mighty cliff. I sit for only a short moment, before standing to walk toward the sun on the opposite side of the cliff. As I near the center of the cliff, I begin to see a shadow off in the distance. It is unmoving, yet I feel the life force calling me toward it. I am entirely consumed by hope as I near this figure. I quicken my pace to a run as my view of the figure sharpens into the form of a person. I slow to a walk when I am twenty paces away, but the figure does not turn. I continue until I am five paces away and I stop.

The figure finally turns and rises to greet me. There are no words exchanged, but I am immediately the subject to the gaze of knowing eyes. We embrace and I notice that this person has skin like the bark of trees, hair that is tough like the path of acceptance, tears that are surely from the sea of understanding, and a smile that is graced with truth. The one thing that strikes me about this person is the extreme amount of peace that I feel within the embrace.

The figure touches a hand to its lips and presses that hand to a spot in the middle of my forehead. I am enveloped in love. I close my eyes and completely give myself over to the sensation of love. As I open my eyes, I realize that the figure is no longer with me. I look around and I see a hazy figure in the distance from where I came. I begin to follow, but am immediately stopped by force, as if to say “No…stay”.

I turn back toward the edge of the cliff and sit down. The sky is painted with a myriad of colors that are sharpened by the sun. I cross my legs, close my eyes, and begin to meditate in the warmth of the sun. As I am engulfed in love and peace, I turn my head toward the sky and whisper, “Let the journey begin”.