Love
As I write these words my whole life is being turned upside-down and back to front. Everything I have relied on until now has vanished into the white mists of time. I stand high on a hill swept with trees, enshrouded in an impenetrable fog, and I see nothing. The fine mist drips silently from the ghost like trees. No single other human being walks this path. I am completely alone.
Like a Zen master I turn to face the truth, cut hard like a diamond. Bright and filled with many facets. I see nothing of what is to come. The Spirits who guide me are silent, they are taking everything in my life apart. I stand alone on the path and watch them do it. Tiny piece by tiny piece. It is myself they are taking apart and I bow to their wisdom.
An ancient story comes into my mind. A story born in a time long past. Large snow flakes fall and then swirl in a magic dance of white crystals. The dawn is creating shades of grey amid tall stones and gnarled trees in a perfect garden. The snowflakes begin to fill the carefully drawn lines in the sand. Very soon there will be no sand, no lines, only a white blanket of perfection. In the dim light the figure of a man stands upon a small bridge in the middle of the garden. He is completely at peace within himself. Nothing moves.
Some years ago I had a good friend. Living a normal life. Everything was as it should be. Hidden within the normality of my friends life was a deep shadow. One day my friend could no longer contain the shadow that had grown enormous in the complacency of daily living. My reaction at first was: Why me? I did not create this shadow. Why do you bring it here? Why should I have to deal with it?
The answer I heard was:
Everything in life happens for a reason.
In the growing months together my friend and I faced down every fear, every shadow, every limitation. We shared together a silent and secret world. I discovered that just as I was able to see the monstrous shadow that had grown in my friends life, I was able to share their darkest hour as they transformed their regrets into Light.
The shadows no longer seemed to dwarf us, but they empowered us in a way we would not have thought possible. As each seemingly powerful emotion surfaced we excelled in entering its core and facing the truth. Hidden in the deepest part of each sorrow was a pure source of Light. Within the problem was the answer to the problem.
As my friend grew in stature I could only marvel at the powers of inner transformation hidden within the human form. A once sad and weakened dearest closest friend was now standing as still as could be on a small bridge in the middle of a perfect garden. Nothing moves. He is completely at peace within himself.
As I turn to walk down the path leading to a small but frozen stream I pause to consider the gift this friend brought to me so many years ago when life was but a mystery to us. I stop by heavily drooping branches of fir trees and pine. The snow slides onto the path. In those moments I marvel at the simplicity of it. If only we all could discover for ourselves and share the simple truth that transforms us to the core of our being. When we allow it to. I love you for who you are.
As I stood high on the mist-enshrouded hill I thanked the creator and all my Spirit guides for taking care of my garden. In the moments where nothing is left I know the truth hidden in each fragile human relationship if only we would allow this truth to enter our lives. Not to wish to change another. To reform them or to ask them to be someone else. To know for oneself the single most important Truth.
I love you for who you are.
