The wind is blowing softly as I make my way slowly up the narrow path surrounded by lush vegetation, tall living trees, and the occasional butterfly fluttering before my eyes. It never fails to surprise me how the tree branches softly touch my body as they are blown around by the gentle breaths of wind. It's like they are expressing a word of welcome, “Thank you for coming back. We've missed you.”
I notice the eagle high up in the sky, flying like the monarch of the heavens. His high-pitched call continues to beckon my name as I climb, occasionally stumbling over ruts on the uneven path. I am amazed that I hardly ever find another person exploring this world of wonder. I am by myself, but I am definitely not alone.
The sky is so blue it's almost purple. The trees are like emeralds, and it feels like all of earth is vibrating with an unseen energy and life force that I have been chosen to witness. How have I managed to be so blessed? The earth itself is covered with leaves that have chosen to become my carpet, softening each footstep and giving me that incredible feeling of floating.
I breathe in. I breathe out. Deep breaths, all of them. The air smells as vibrant and alive as I feel.
Suddenly without warning, I trip on a root buried underneath a pile of leaves, and I'm falling, sliding, slipping down the side of this magnificent mountain. I feel like all control I thought I had has been taken away from me, and I'm at the mercy of the forces around me…the rocks, the trees, flowers, gravity.
And then, it stops. I am at the bottom, without a scratch. I look down at my legs, thinking they should be covered in bruises, cuts, an unsightly mess…but they are as perfect as they were at the top of the mountain. I give a short word of thanks to God and the angels kept me from harm before getting up to my feet, wiping off the leaves, and looking around.
About three feet to my left, I see the opening to a rocky cave that somehow beckons me and invites me inside. I slowly venture forth, wondering who calls the cave home. As I step inside the mouth of the cave, I hear a strange noise unlike anything I'm familiar with. It's dark, and I have trouble seeing exactly where I'm going, but as my eyes adjust to the dimness, I see a huge grizzly bear lying on the ground snoring deeply. I don't want to wake him up, as he looks like he needs the rest. Strangely enough, I don't fear him. I have respect and admiration for this massive creature of nature who terrifies so many.
I continue my journey into the cave, and as it seems to be getting darker and darker, I feel myself become a glowing ember from head to toe, lighting my own path. The walls of the cave are covered with an indescribable mural of magic, scenes of heroic proportions, and never-fading beauty. I wonder at the beings that created such a masterpiece.
The floor of the cave is uneven, and I trip from time to time, but always manage to get back up. I have this feeling that I'm being protected, that I'm not alone in this strange world of rock. I hear the gentle trickle of water flowing all around me, and its very presence gives me comfort, for water is life.
I turn a corner, and ahead of me I see the most amazing sight I've ever beheld. A yellow rose blooms in the middle of a pool of cave water, glowing with vitality and health, gathering strength and nourishment from a small stream of light that has broken through a crack in the rock. Beside the stream, sits my bear, guarding over this lovely blossom like it was a precious gem. I cannot explain the feeling that has come over me as I survey this scene.
The bear looks over at me and makes a grunting sound that is in no way threatening, but more like, “You finally arrived!” He must've followed me and taken a different path to get to this spot before me.
I stand there for just a few moments and it actually appears that the flower is dancing to the rhythm of its own heartbeat. I can't help but smile, looking back up at the ray of light that I know will lead me to the other side of this cave. I turn my feet and head back down the path, knowing that all the way, my bear is behind me.
It happens in a heartbeat, a noise from my bear, the sound of flapping wings, and suddenly I'm being carried away on the wings of an eagle high up and out of the cave's domain. She drops me off on a patch of grass underneath a vivid sun surrounded by an empty field. I look up at the sky, seeing the eagle take off soaring high above the clouds once again. I stand up, and as I begin to walk through the barren field, everything around me starts to bloom and blossom, colors I never knew existed in every color of the rainbow…it's become a garden of vivacious flowers. I feel a bubble of laughter build inside of me, and I start skipping through the flowers, feeling my hair flow, lightly dancing across my shoulders, and I hear a happy song burst from my lips.
Breathless, I sink down once again. Everything everywhere is full of color and life and I lay flat on my back, looking up at the sky, seeing stars in the heart of the day. I close my eyes, and whisper a prayer of thanks forlife.
