| Deep within the chilly rock face, I can feel the existence of a moving body of water. It draws me, as though I possessed a divining rod tuned to a special frequency. Moving closer, I dare to hope.
I rest both of my hands, palms forward on the stone, hoping to sense the presence of this mystical flow. I press my cheek to the rock and use my ear to capture the faint rhythm of the subterranean spring. Yes, it is there. I step back to reevaluate my position. I am thirsty; I need some water. Can I find what I am looking for here? I imagine it would be far easier to walk on a little farther, stay my impatience a little longer, so I turn... I walk three steps, then come to a halt. I look back, and I swear I hear the hidden brook call me by name. It can't be, I tell myself. Why should I bother? I can't even see the stream beneath the stony walls. I will move on. Another step or two, and then I am filled with a vague sense of remorse. If I leave this place, I will never find out where the little stream is, where its origins are. My natural inquisitiveness is whetted by the mysterious voice I swear I heard again, just now. Shall I pass up this opportunity? Is it an opportunity, or is it a waste of my precious time? The sun will be setting soon, and I am parched... I am bone dry. I tell myself Only a fool would look for water beneath solid rock but my words fail to convince me. Why resist my intuition? It never failed me before, although I have failed it more than once. I turn back and look at where I was. Shall I? Why not? I lean my entire torso against the cool stones, my arms spread wide, my face once more pressed to its surface as I attempt to locate the source of my curiosity. Yes! I hear something! I wasn't imagining it! My fingertips begin to tingle, as though they were filled with an electrical charge. Muted chimes dance around my inner ear, tilting my balance from center. I shift my feet to compensate, and the world shifts with me. Then, the wall I lean against is no more. I stand deep within the earth, the fresh cool air defying my senses. Down here, the air should be cold and heavy with moisture and ancient depth, but instead it caresses my face with the nectared charm of a crocus petal. There! There is the tiny rill, bubbling forth out of a crevice in the rocks! Can it be real? I want to rush forward in my haste to drink, but well-placed caution slows my feet. It is not without skill and experience that I have come this far in my journey. Is this water safe to drink? And if it is, will I incur the wrath of some dormant goddess? Is it guarded by a demon-sprite? A malicious pixie? There is only one way to find out... Step by step, I near the spring, and yes, it calls my name again! What magic is this? What sorcery speaks to me in this fashion? I'm almost at its edge, now. It looks so cool, so inviting... yet, dare I drink from it? If I draw its waters, will they be clean and whole, or will they prove themselves sulphurous and poison-filled? Again, there is only one way to find out... I am so thirsty; my need for water drags my reservations along in its wake. I cup my hands together and dip them into the amused and happy waters. I lower my face and close my eyes. The moment of truth has arrived. I drink deeply, then go back to the wellspring again. By the gods themselves! I have never felt so refreshed, so alive! This water is the water of my soul! Of course it knows my name! I drink again, then sit back on my heels to ponder my extreme good luck. Or was it luck? Coincidence? Happenstance? They tell me nothing happens by accident.... But why question; I am here, now. I have tasted the crystal pure draughts of this, my very own wellspring, hidden away where none have looked before. And yet, it must flow ever onward, leaving me standing at its source, right? For I cannot make myself small and follow it through the slit in the rocks, out to the world beyond, where it must surely exist, larger and faster, stronger and more callous than this endearing, reedy voice that knows my name so well. Or can I? No matter. For I have tasted these waters. May it course its way onward to the great seas of the world, and end its life by mingling with the mighty ocean. I will remember... I have been touched forever by this sweet taste. |
A thought: Only in recognition of one's own heart and soul can something approaching true immortality be achieved. Go in, then look for this same light in the world around you. It is there. |