The Journey to Paradise
Or The Hell Hole
It was a quiet day; the sun appeared high in the sky and all
around motivations scurried. It was a day for playing and discovering. Like most
children I was free to wander and explore. The pastures and meadows were
delightful and bursting with wonder. Even the craggy cliffs that looked like
looming gargoyles were somehow safe and serene. As I wandered about in my usual
manner I came upon what appeared to be a hole, a rip in the gentle valley. I was
understandably fascinated by this new thing. All my experience could not explain
how the hole could exist.
I gathered a bit of stuff and dropped it into the hole. After
what seemed like a very long time, I was sure I heard something. Perhaps it was
the stuff reaching the bottom of the hole. I felt compelled to discover where
the hole went. It was inconceivable to me that the hole could even exist. That
paradox alone was astounding, more perplexing was that the hole might actually
lead to some where.
Fascinated and a bit concerned about my own essence, and the
basis of my existence now challenged, I devised a plan to explore the phenomena
further. I carefully planned my approach and gathered the items I felt necessary
to complete my investigation. I looked about me and carefully secured my reality
for when I would return. Then very slowly I lowered myself into the opening. It
felt rather strange at first. As I let myself sink deeper, I found the feeling
quite pleasant and exhilarating. I wondered if I was supposed to allow myself to
experience these feelings and wondered if it would affect me in some unknown
way. That thought was even more exciting.
Once I was fully into the hole, some very odd things happened.
They are quite difficult to describe. I felt as though I had a body. Not that
that was particularly odd, I had had a body before. This body actually felt like
me. I really enjoyed the experience and began to wonder if this was the way I
have always been. Then the blackness came. I had never experienced the blackness
before and it was overwhelming. I would have been frightened if I knew such a
thing. Fortunately, fear was not something that I had ever experienced and so, I
just felt the blackness and like all other experiences, I explored its cause and
immersed myself in its effect.
I became lost of sorts in the blackness and when I again began
to perceive the light I found myself in this land. It was a lovely place full of
life and wonder. Not unlike my reality, yet somehow very different. It would be
much later that I would realize how different it really was. I vaguely
remembered the hole but saw no evidence of it anywhere. I wasn't even sure about
myself, had I always been this way? I examined my body and found it functional
and quite complex. Off in the distance I saw structures of some sort and decided
to travel toward them.
As I traveled I examined everything I happened upon. Some
things were soft and other hard. Some smelled sweet and others noxious. Some
things felt good when I held them and other caused pain. Well, I called it pain,
because my body dropped them. Perhaps just over sensational. By the time I
reached the structures I had acquired quite a bit of knowledge and experience.
However I was not prepared in a way to understand what I experienced when I
finally reached the structures.
From far away the structures appeared to be monuments of some
kind, but as I approached them, they appeared to be more like plants. Now that I
standing next to them it was even more astounding. They appeared to be objects
of some sort. I examined them closely and could not ascertain what they were or
what they were made of. They did seem vaguely familiar in some way but try as I
might I could not seem to focus my thoughts about them. I thought about the hole
again but even that was becoming faint, like a dream. Perhaps even the dream of
another told to me in a story. I left the structures and continued to walk
without any particular destination other than discovery. After a while I came
across a stream and began to follow it. The stream felt calming and refreshing
to me. It talked in a babbling sort of way and seemed quite wise but
incomprehensible to me. I enjoyed its company on my way and decided that I would
follow it until....
After a while I came across a creature that lived beside the
stream. The creature was friendly and kind and I stayed for a while. We had
difficulty communicating at first and it seemed as though the creature could
understand the babbling stream. After some time I began to understand a few
things the creature seemed to be saying and even the stream began to make some
sense. It was very exciting and very fascinating. After a while I continued my
journey to wherever, bidding the creature good-bye and offering my appreciation
for the lessons and understanding. The stream still babbled but occasionally I
seemed to understand a thing or two.
The stream began to meander and soon I could not see it in the
distance as it became hidden within hills and mountains. I had no where else to
go and proceeded to follow it into the hills. After a while I came across
another creature. Similar to the one I had previously encountered, this creature
was also friendly and very interested in me. I stayed for a while and learned a
bit more of how to listen and understand the stream. When I decided to continue
this creature offered me a gift of some sort. I initially declined the gift but
the creature insisted that I keep it. I wasn't sure what to do with the gift and
tied it about my waist so that I would not loose it.
As the stream continued to meander, the hills and valleys grew
more distinct. The distance became hazier and the babbling more subdued. I
followed it blindly letting it lead me to where it might.
After some time I came across a village of creatures unlike
the ones I had previously encountered. These creatures spoke in a language that
I seemed to understand. I found them to be friendly and cordial. They invited me
to stay awhile and visit with them. They offered me a place to stay and work
that I could perform to earn my keep. I graciously accepted the arrangement and
began to meet the citizens.
Many of the denizens of the region were blind to most
frequencies. This was probably caused by the environment and certainly created
no disadvantage. The few who were not blind actually had a much harder time
adapting and conforming to the norms generally accepted. So perhaps being blind
could be perceived as an advantage. Certainly the Polu knew that very well. One
of the Polu lived nearby and the Pomu often would tease and taunt until the Polu
closed the door and isolated.
When I first arrived, I wasn't sure why the Pomu tolerated the
Polu. Or why the Polu would even choose to live nearby the Pomu. After a while
it became quite obvious that both groups needed the other to perform certain
tasks. I still am not sure if either group understood their symbiotic
relationship, especially considering how the Pomu treated the Polu.
Even though I was included in most of the discussions and
affairs of the village, I still felt like an outsider. I wasn't really sure if
they understood me or if I really understood them. It seemed as though we
communicated well but....
After a while I felt a desire to continue my journey and bid
my farewells to the village and its inhabitants. They too offered me a gift and
I accepted it graciously. I placed their gift on my head and found the stream at
the edge of the village and set out.
The hills and valleys became less distinct and the stream
meandered less and less. The distance, although still hazy, seemed more clear
and distinct. The babbling seemed much quieter and although I seemed to better
understand it, I felt separated and isolated. My companion now seemed more like
a dream and wish than real and present. I proceeded along the way and came
across another creature. This creature did not seem friendly. It clearly seemed
to know me and spoke very slowly and clearly to me. I tried to speak but it put
its hand over my mouth and told me to listen. After a while, it stopped speaking
and in its hand it held out a pebble and offered it to me. I looked into the
creatures' eyes and felt its sorrow and wondered what had caused it. It looked
at me and I felt its eyes pierce my body like a sword. I bid the creature
farewell and as I did I asked it if it knew where the stream would lead me. With
tear filled eyes the creature said paradise.
I looked at the stream and determined to discover what
paradise was I proceeded to follow it. After a while the distance began to
appear black. No longer hazy, the babbling now silent. I wondered a bit about
the destination and tried to imagine paradise. As I entered the darkness a
feeling of déjà vu filled my being. And old memories of another world flooded
my thoughts. I could no longer see the stream nor hear its babbling, I was not
sure of where I was headed, whether forward or backwards or even in circles.
After a while I became tired and stopped for a rest.
As I lay down and closed my eyes, I saw a small spark of
light. At first I thought it might be just my imagination but it was definitely
there and as I turned my head it did not seem to move. With my eyes closed I
moved toward the spark. As I approached it grew larger and brighter until it
seemed to fill my closed eyes. I opened them only to find the darkness once
more. Not sure where I was or where I was headed, I closed my eyes and rushed
into the light. It seemed like forever but it was probably just a moment. Then
it hit me or I hit it and I was knocked over and lost consciousness.
When I awoke, I looked around me, visions of wonder filled by
being. It was a quiet day; the sun appeared high in the sky and all around
motivations scurried. It was a day for playing and discovering. The pastures and
meadows were delightful and bursting with wonder. Even the craggy cliffs that
looked like looming gargoyles were somehow safe and serene. I wondered what this
place was called and discovered a hole.