The Canoe on the Ceiling
Our story left off with our young bride crossing a bridge to head home...
Suddenly, she heard some sloshing under the bridge. She stopped abruptly, not sure if she should investigate this further....so strange, how can you go from one moment of happy dreaming back to the real world. She peered from the bridge at the water, searching for the source of the sound. How can you search with your eyes for what you hear with your ears? She heard... nothing anymore. She listened, peered, leaned over the edge of the railing... and then just fell into the water!
She tried to swim, to call for help, but she was only drawn deeper and deeper into the water. How was that possible, as she had always thought the water here wasn't that deep at all? She found herself relaxing... just letting it all happen. The water didn't feel scary anymore. She even wanted to start dancing, going with the current as she was being swept along. Suddenly, she heard a voice and looked straight into two eyes! "And what exactly do you think you're doing?" it sounded.
At first, she was startled, then she remembered what Thistle had said. She knew then and there that she was the captain of her ship and intuitively knew to follow her instincts. She turned to the two eyes staring at her and inquired, “Who are you if I may ask? I am on a journey to discover the beauty these waters have to offer.” The eyes responded with, “I am Wonder. I am here to help you see with new eyes and explore. You will never feel alone, as I am a gift that can always travel with you.” She relaxed even more and linked hands with Wonder. Instantly, she felt empowered, and beauty was everywhere around them. They swam, danced, and occasionally ventured on shore to bask in the sunlight. She felt light and invincible all at the same time. Just when she thought everything was perfect, there came an ominous rumbling in the distance and Wonder began to fade away.
And as wonder faded away, she realized that she was left with a lust to travel the world. Gone was the trepidation of not knowing and the fear of new things. She continued her travels, reveling in the world that was so new to her, exploring the feelings and places that were so hidden before. Dancing with dolphins, flying with eagles and resting with the myriad of forest creatures that came to her with trust and a lack of fear. From high mountains to the bottom of the sea, she explored her world with joy.
Eventually, after some time enjoying her travels, Jasmine decided it was time to go home. It took several days and nights to travel back to the special place where her married life had begun and she was happy to be returning. When she arrived she was shocked to see that the waterfront property was deserted. She searched for her husband but there was no sign that he had been there recently and no clue as to where he could have gone. Too sad to stay there on her own, and worried about what might have happened, the next morning Jasmine made the decision to unhook the canoe from the dock and set off looking for some answers. It was really hard work paddling alone, but she rested and let the canoe drift from time to time. By the end of the day she had covered a huge distance across the lake. As the sun began to set she noticed a mountain in the distance and steered the canoe towards it.
The closer Jasmine paddled toward the mammoth mountain, the more mysterious it seemed, casting shadows over the lake as dusk settled in. She had never ventured this far before, but something about the mountain drew her in as if it held secrets waiting to be discovered. Exhausted but determined, she reached the shore just as darkness enveloped the landscape. Pulling the canoe onto the rocky beach, she noticed a faint glow flickering through the trees ahead. Her heart raced—was this a sign or just a trick of her tired mind? With no other choice, Jasmine grabbed her pack and headed toward the light, hoping it would lead her closer to finding her husband.
As Jasmine crept slowly toward the tree line she noticed a narrow path leading into the woods. With the flickering light as her guide she slowly found her way through the trees and came upon a small clearing with a glowing fire dancing within a circle of stones. A faint sound drew her attention to the far side of the fire. “Who’s there”? she asked.
A few seconds passed and Jasmine inquired again, “Who’s there?” The response came from the far side of the fire, “Who is asking this of me?” Taken aback, Jasmine said, “My name is Jasmine and I am searching for my husband who has been gone for some time. Has anyone been through these woods recently?” “The person you are seeking did indeed pass by here and ascended the stairs just beyond the path.” Jasmine’s heart started to race. She thought, at last, a clue as to the whereabouts of my lost love. How can he be so near yet so far away? The voice warned, “You mustn’t dally and delay your trek any longer. The path is dark and the stairs are steep. You must exercise extreme caution.” Jasmine stepped around the flames and proceeded down the path until she arrived at the stairs. She instantly understood the warning about extreme caution. It appeared that the steps led to nowhere and no end was in sight. She was so tired, but she knew she needed to keep going. She began the climb, carefully take one step at a time.
She seemed to be climbing forever when she finally reached the top of the stairs and looked out at a beautiful archway. Jasmine had hoped her husband would be waiting at the top of the stairway. Alas, he was no where to be seen. There was a bed of flowers lying under the shed and she wondered if maybe he had left them for her as a reminder of their love. She slowly moved under the arch and toward the flowers when she heard a soft noise on the gentle breeze. “Who is there?”, asked Jasmine. She felt so alone and frightened again. This place seemed pleasant enough yet she was not at ease because her husband was not with her.
"Put your hand out.” said a wee voice. Jasmine slowly reached her hand out to where she thought the voice was coming from. A beautiful Monarch Butterfly settled gently on her hand. Jasmine felt a calm come over her and waited for the butterfly to talk to her again. She hoped the butterfly would guide her on her journey to and her husband.
The story continues.... come back for Part 3 and find out how the story ends!