“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made
all the difference.”
- Robert Frost
AS I OPENED MY EYES…
The pathway lay before me, beckoning to me to set foot upon its firm surface and proceed to follow its long, sunlit Journey upwards to the top of the distant hill on the horizon.
Placing my bare feet upon its starting point, I began my ascension.
Although the sunlight was bright and clear, I was unable, at first, to observe what stood on the highest ridge of the hillside due to its being, somewhat, hidden by the mists of the early morning.
The pathway edges were both completely covered with blossoms and flowers of every color and every possible variety imaginable…despite the day being the first week of July, and traditionally a bit warm for the flowers of early Spring.
Beyond the edges of the blossoms, the forest rose in unbelievable density on both sides of the avenue upon which I was traveling. Pines, oaks, maples, birch, and others which I could not identify rose to nearly form a cathedral ceiling high overhead…the trees became even MORE dense as my path wended its way upwards on the hillside.
Gradually, my ears were awakened by the sounds of the creatures echoing throughout the depths of the forests. The innumerable chirping of the birds, voices of the creatures calling-out to their mates and offspring, filled the atmosphere with their sweet, soothing sounds.
Wisps of aromas from the blossoms filled my nostrils…and, my breaths became deeper and deeper as I rose in my steps.
Then, quite gradually, the mists along the ridge began to dissipate…and, I was able to discern the outlines of what appeared to be a crowd standing along the top the hillside. I was drawn to their appearance.
As I approached their presence, my view of the crowd expanded…and, what I saw halted my ascension in total awe.
There, before my eyes, stretched a Vision of Humanity which stretched beyond belief…from far beyond both East, West and North…reaching far, far into what seemed as Eternity.
BUT…the figures I observed were not confined to those of Human Beings. NO! What seemed as though EVERY living creature was also there before my eyes. EVERYTHING…from the simplest Leaf of Grass, to the most complex Creature imaginable.
Of course, my footsteps were halted by what I now observed…and, I had not yet reached the top of the pathway. Then, as I remained stopped on my Journey, one of the figures slowly made its way forward to where I was standing.
Slowly, ever so SLOWLY, the figure gained recognition…and, in its final step forward, it stopped directly in front of me. There she stood, in all her radiant Beauty which I remembered from the photographs of her taken in the height of her Past. My MOM.
Her hair shimmered darkly in the light of the Sun, and in her eyes, glistened the stars of the Heavens.
The whisper escaped my breath,” MOMMY.”
She smiled, as I remembered from my earliest recognition of her. “MOOMY.”
And, my hand reached out to her.
Then, as her smile widened, she raised her right hand, palm outwards towards me and said, with all the sounds of Life echoing in her words, “NOT YET, GEORGIE…NOT YET.”
Having spoken, she gradually lowered her hand, and slowly turned to return to the top of the ridge.
As she reached the pinnacle, she turned once again towards me, raised her right, then left arm and slowly directed my attention to what stood beside her: my Dad, entire Family, all Friends who had Journeyed onward…Teachers, Artists and Writers…and, ALL of Eternity.
I turned my head from side to side to take-in all that stood before me, and, as I stretched my view far to the right, I noticed that the pathway had another direction…a second possibility which led forward onto a completely different direction. The choice was mine: upwards to join the others, or to the Right Way.
I chose to move forward to the Right.
AS I OPENED MY EYES…
My eyes slowly, VERY slowly began to clear, and the vision which lay before me was woven with incredible disbelief.
My breathing was controlled by an apparatus tube inserted into my mouth and throat. Both of my arms were infused by several I.V. units: medicine, blood supplies, irrigations, etc.
My abdomen was “opened” from my chestbone all the way down to the top of my groin. A number of my remaining internal organs were visible, as was the drainage tubes inserted to fend-off undesirable contents.
Nevertheless…the reality gradually set-into my consciousness: I was ALIVE!
Near to my side were two individuals: my Dear Wife, and one of the most precious Friends in my Life, a former student who had recently returned to me.
As the days stretched forward, I became totally aware of what had occurred to me, and what I had yet to overcome.
Then, well into the early hours of a morning, while lying in ICU in Pittsburgh, I REMEMBERED what I had seen and experienced on that “imagined” Pathway, and on just below the ridge of that misty hillside.
MORE IMPORTANTLY…I also remembered what I envisioned what my Mom said to me, and the decision I made on that Journey.
The decision has never proven wrong…I made the decision to follow the RIGHT PATHWAY, and to NEVER falter in my steps…moment by moment, day by day…no matter how difficult it seems.
MESSAGE FROM WHITE EAGLE
Recently, a Friend with whom I shared a Brotherhood on the East Coast back in the early ‘70’s forwarded to me a message created by a revered Shaman of the Hopi Nation, White Eagle.
Within his message, Whit Eagle states:
““This moment humanity is going through can now be seen as a portal and as a hole. The decision to fall into the hole or go through the portal is up to you. If (you)repent of the problem and consume the news 24 hours a day, with little energy, nervous all the time, with pessimism, (you) will fall into the hole. But if you take this opportunity to look at yourself, rethink life and death, take care of yourself and others, you will cross the portal.
Also, when the storm passes, you will be very important in the reconstruction of this new world. You need to be well and strong. And, for that, there is no other way than to maintain a beautiful, happy and bright vibration.
In Shamanism, there is a rite of passage called the quest for vision. You spend a few days alone in the forest, without water, without food, without protection. When you go through this portal, you get a new vision of the World, because you have faced your fears, your difficulties ... This is what is asked of you.
What World do you want to build for yourself? For now, this is what you can do: serenity in the storm. Calm down and pray. Everyday. Establish a routine to meet the sacred every day. Good things emanate, what you emanate now is the most important thing. And sing, dance, resist through art, joy, faith and love.”
As difficult as it is, making the RIGHT decision for one’s Self faces each of us…at this present time, and at each and every moment of each and every day.
Sometimes it takes the form of simple daily tasks…sometimes it takes the form of deciding to LIVE, to breathe, and to maintain HOPE…even in the face of turmoil and despair.
My Mom was correct…as she ALWAYS was..and IS!
“ONLY FROM THE ASHES OF WHO WE WERE CAN WE RISE UP TO BECOME WHO WE ARE MEANT TO BE”
- (THE WORDS
OF THE PHOENIX)
