Her Inner Space

      The forest path was narrow and worn. The canopy was thick giving an intense greenish cast to the ground below. Ferns, mosses and other small plants grew among the trees and along the path. She traveled the path often and always veered off to the right before climbing the set of steps. At the veer in the path there was always a large black bear nearby. This bear always stopped to watch her but never tried to harm her. The big thick stone block steps were gray limestone and slightly worn. There were seven steps that led up to a small stone landing with a door. On either side of the door was the forest, looking the same as one would expect if the door wasn’t even there. The heavy door was with a deep weathered charcoal gray color and looked like it belonged in an ancient stone castle. The door handle was a rusty metal latch and in spite of the aged condition of the door it always swung open and closed easily for her.

      Once inside the door she would continue on the path that ran uphill quite a distance with a gentle slope. The trees seemed to allow more light through their leaves just inside the door. There was a river just to her left that produced gentle bubbling sounds as it worked its way downhill. As she neared the top of the hill the forest thinned more and opened up to a beautiful meadow. Her face felt warmed by the kiss of sunshine. Each time she arrived she gazed up at the magnificent blue sky that was blessed with a dabbling of cottony white clouds. Sunlight always shone down upon the meadow brightly, however it was never too hot there. The river had spread out wider and appeared to not be moving at all. The surface of the water mirrored the trees and purple mountains in the distance on the other side like a sheet of glass. Colorful ducks swam lazily near the bank cutting v-shaped wakes that glittered like sparkly diamonds in the serene waters. 

     She would watch the ever present ducks for a while before turning toward the meadow that was full of cheery flowers displaying a wide variety of yellows, oranges, pinks, whites, purples and blues. She loved the explosion of colors impressed by how vibrant her favorite flowers seemed on this side of the door. She admired them and smelled them but she never picked them because she couldn’t bear to hurt them. She traveled down a narrow dirt path to a very large gnarly oak tree. Some days she would be greeted by animals as she walked the path. Often those were animals that had been near and dear to her heart. Sometimes they were a variety of wild animals that greeted her, but they never scared her and they always spoke so that she could understand them. Some told her amazing tales or discussed things that troubled them about the human race and the harm they were causing to the Earth.

     In the distance beyond the great oak tree there was more forest, but this time the pine forest, covering the foothills and mountains in the distance. She would finally arrive at the giant tree that provided a cool green shade during the heat of the day. Here under the oak’s umbrella she would sit and wait patiently with her question on her mind for those who would come. Some days loved ones would visit her talking with her, offering her advice and often she cried because she missed them so. On other days, people that she had no recollection of knowing before coming here, would visit with her. They would answer her question and explain to her things she did not understand. They helped her to freely open her heart to her truth, encouraged her to speak her truth as they advised her. These strangers were always kind, gentle and calming. Once in a while she would just sit under the tree and soak up everything that she could see, hear, smell and feel.

      Some of her visits were longer than others, but inevitably she would always have to go back through the door. At the bottom of the stairs she always saw the bear waiting, guarding her path and she thanked him. Her cheeks would often be damp with tears as she left, not because she was sad but rather her heart was filled with love and her mind with new information. She always felt stronger and more empowered after being on the other side of the door.