Pathways
You are in a large brown tiled hall with golden artificial lights above. You can just make out a black doorway ahead. Above a shaft of light shines upon the pathway in front. Your objective: to cross the path to the door to continue your journey whilst taking note of everything which is around you.
The floor is littered with all manner of different items. Some remind you of friends, others are things which you desire. A small wad of money catches your eye, and you side step to look at it, noticing how the shaft of light from above now appears to your left. But what use is money without anything upon which to buy?
You sidestep more to the right, and find that computer game you always wanted to play. All you have to do is pick it up, examine it, read the instructions. And there is a games system upon which to play it. You step away more from the path to plug it in, to see what you can learn and find out.
A few hours later you look up. The path is still there but with the game in your mind it is harder to remember it's significance. Ahead of where you look a soft toy lies, reminding you of your childhood days. It's head has nearly fallen off the shoulders, and has definitely seen better days, yet it was yours and brought you warmth and comfort during those endless restless nights. But there is a new toy as well, one which is better. You sidestep more to the right to pick it up. This does not remind you of anything yet the toy brings you a sense of relief.
A chill is now sweeping the hallway. Further to the right is a large cloak and grateful you slip it over you shoulders watching with ease the growing shadows of the darkened floor.
You look up and for the first time in a while remember what it was you came into the room to achieve and accomplish. In the distance on the right lies a bar with several drinks scattered around it as though it were calling and beconning you, to clear from your memory the lost and troubled inner soul. To the other you can see your intended path where the black doorway will be visible.
Were you meant to stray this far? Does what you carry in your arms correspond to the meaning of your soul? How far can we stray in the darkness before we lose the meaning of the light? If we stick to the path like glue how much of the meaning of the scattered objects which lie around us do we lose?
In my view, life is a balance of the mystery and exploration, as well as the direction of our intended purpose wherever that leads. Too much of one can materialise at the expense of another; those times when we can overindulge and lose our pathways to the sorrounding darkness and are left forever looking for that doorway ahead absconded from view.
By Sophie, July 2009
Written especially for The House of the Dreaming