Promise of the Lotus

I SHIELD MY EYES FROM THE BURNING ORB OF DAY'S FADING LIGHT.

I SMILE TO MYSELF, NOTICING THAT THE BURNT ORANGE AND REDS OF THE SKY MATCH PERFECTLY THE COLORS OF MY ROBE.

THE BREEZE IS WARM, I FEEL IT CARESSING MY SKIN-URGING ME GENTLY ONWARD TO MY DESTINATION.

I STAND IN WONDER BENEATH A WONDROUS TREE.

REACHING OUT I CARESS ITS TIME-ROUGHENED BARK, KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE PLACE I WAS MEANT TO BE.

I PLACE MYSELF AT THE BASE, ATOP THE COOL GREEN GRASS.

PART OF ME IS AFRAID OF THIS JOURNEY I MUST TAKE.

BUT I FEEL IT IS MY CALLING.

TWILIGHT GATHERS IN THE HEAVENS AS STARS GENTLY TWINKLE INTO THEIR PLACES FOR THE NIGHT.

I TAKE A DEEP BREATH, INHALING THE SWEET SCENT OF THE EARTH.

FROM THE FOLDS OF MY ROBE I FIND MY TREASURE.

IN THE GROWING DARKNESS I CAN JUST BARELY MAKE OUT ITS SHAPE.

BUT MY HANDS KNOW THE SOFT PETALS OF THIS FLOWER WELL.

ITS PERFUMED SWEETNESS FLOATS UP TO ME ON THE BREEZE.

THIS BEAUTIFUL, DELICATE LOTUS, MY FAVORITE FLOWER IN ALL THE WORLD.

TAKING DEEP STEADY BREATHS, I CLOSE MY EYES AND ENTER A PLACE WHERE MY BODY CANNOT FOLLOW.

WARMTH AND LIGHT SURROUND ME, AND I REACH FOR IT, KNOWING THAT JUST BEYOND MY FINGERTIPS LIES A PLACE WHERE I KNOW THE ANSWERS I SEEK AWAIT.

AND WITH THAT PROMISE, A SMILE ON MY LIPS, THIS MIRACULOUS PLACE IS OPENED UNTO ME WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF TEN THOUSAND SUNS AS I TAKE MY FIRST STEPS INTO THE UNKNOWN.