connection

The stars had completely aligned with fate. She sat, in a perfect state of contentment, surrounded by love.

This was the meaning of friendship. This was the meaning of life. This was the inspiration everyone needed for the power to live each day of their lives. It came from this.

From moving forward.
From being bold.
From opening up.
From the raw experiences of life's inertia.

The best part was that it wasn't anything like she expected. In fact, it wasn't like anything anyone had ever told her. And it was because no one could explain this. One had to encounter it. 

The ironic thing about life, she realized, is that heavenly encounters only come after one has been through hell. There are people who remain in a state of mediocre existence, never falling hard enough to experience truth.

Truth only comes to those in need. Honesty is the only way to progress. Friendship and love are always worth the fight - and the surrender. She took all three of these by the hand and ran, completely and truly connected.  

inadequacy

Suddenly, she wasn't feeling very strong. She was wavering, depending on too many things. Independence had become the destination of the journey she was on. 

She looked out the window, through the glass, into the world beyond. This was still where she lived. This was still her life.

She let out a sharp sigh. It was time to meditate, relax, let go of all the...tension. Every day felt like another breath of release. Another step toward independence.  

tension

She had never fully experienced this before. Living in this tension, living with a constant complication ever before her. This was now her life.

She stopped walking and looked at earth below. She had ascended to quite the height in her trek. Being up this high helped her to forget. To forget...things. The snow-capped mountains were below her, the crashing waves of the ocean farther below them. 

The trail that began her descent was approaching. She could feel it. The time was coming again for her to descend. 

It was so funny, these simultaneous emotions of happiness and sadness. She could only be ever grateful that emotions were so fickle.

She closed her eyes. She felt crying again. But at the same time there were so many reasons to laugh. And to dance. 

closer

He drew her in. She came closer and closer. As the distance between Him and her decreased, the air around her grew warmer, brighter. She needed to close her eyes if she was to go on. And on she went, because she knew He would not hurt her.

Suddenly her face felt wet. As she brought her hands to her face, she realized she was crying. Why was she crying? She couldn't control it. She was no longer in control. The closer she came to Him, the more control she lost.

Then she began to feel pain. It started out like a burn, an extreme heat that was burning her skin. Yet the pain wasn't physical. She kept going. She felt her flesh, her muscle, her bone being burned away. There was nothing left.

She screamed. A powerful light was piercing her eyes, her soul, lighting up her entire being. Nothing was hidden. She saw Him. He saw her. Just as she thought she might run away, He picked her up, held her.

"I love you." And she knew she could trust Him.

passing through

She was passing through new worlds, yet at the same time they were all familiar. All of her experiences were new. Some of her moments were shared. Others solo. 

Her colors were changing. They always did when she passed through other worlds. Her experiences reminded of her long lost truth, of certainties she was no longer certain of. Reality was re-settling all around her. But it had been enhanced. Renewed. Broadened. 

As she passed through these new worlds, she was also exchanging pieces of herself for fresh knowledge. And although she would give some of herself up, she found that with each exchange, she grew. She grew in strength, in beauty, in compassion. Each exchange added to her life.

She could never control the speed at which she passed through. She only had two choices: to move or not move. It was always a waste of time when she tried to look back, because then she would miss what was right in front her. That's why these exchanges were so important. It was the only thing she could do, leave a piece of her heart with these people who were changing her life. 

She continued her journey. There were more worlds up ahead, and there was no way to know when it would all end.