The breeze gently caressed the small brush
creating a dance of fluttering leaves.
The stillness was absolute with the loudest sound being
the distant wind through the trees.
Where had life gone?
Just a moment ago I was a young woman
filled with promise and depression.
The promise died easily,
but the depression stayed
and stayed…
Now the promise is returning
and the depression is an unwelcome visitor
rather than a constant tenant.
Perhaps now the promise of my dreams
can come true.
“You are too old to receive your dreams,”
whispered the raspy voice of Depression
to the innocent ear of Promise.
“Promise knows NO age,”
was the innocent reply.
“I will never leave you,”
threatened the offended Depression.
“I wouldn’t want you to,”
soothed Promise.
“You are my inspiration.”
“Bah—it is not my job to inspire.
It is my job to extinguish.”
“Extinguish?”
questioned Promise
“Extinguish you!”
screamed Depression.
But then the gentle breeze
set the leaves to dancing once again.
It was so enchanting that
even Depression took notice.
In the distance a bird cried a tone so sweet
that the voice of Depression could not be heard.
“I want to hear you,”
called Promise.
“It is from your darkness that I gather your light.
It is from your sadness that I know joy
and from your anger that I find peace.
“We are not enemies,”
pleaded Promise,
“We are the two that makes the one.”
“I don’t understand your dribble,”
snarled Depression.
The bird flew closer now.
In fact, it landed on the railing before me.
A simple sparrow it was,
small and brown—nothing special,
yet it stared into me as if it knew me.
It stared past the Promise
and into the Depression.
It did nothing…
It said nothing…
But the wild freedom of the bird
touched the captured spirit of Depression.
Then in a blink the bird was gone
And I sat alone once again
Alone with my depression
and alone with the promise that it held.
When my depression cleared, I was able to open my heart to what I desired and what I deserved. I then moved into my new home and stepped onto the
FOURTH STEP TO SOUL
