Sometimes in that quiet, peaceful interlude
between consciousness and the dream realm,
I feel her wondrous essence touching me softly,
reminding me that she understands my loneliness
These precious moments are like sipping cool water
from an oasis after traveling across a barren wasteland
One only wishes to stay in this place and venture no further,
lingering with that love which reaches across time and space
But one realizes that there are many more miles on this journey
so one gazes out and away from that which one so desperately wants
to that which one needs in order to fulfill the promise of one's own soul
So much beauty and so many everyday miracles for each of us to behold
if we'd just take some thoughtful time to comprehend and appreciate them
But at times the body and mind grow so weary and numb from the exposure
to darker elements of this often hostile, unforgiving, and chaotic landscape
So many souls howling against the winds of their own choices and design,
while allying themselves with their own fears in order to gain some profit
and advantage over others before they visit unwelcome agendas on them
All too often we say and do things for which we would quite righteously
scold and punish our own children, should they do the same to others,
and yet how often do we really recognize this inconsistency in ourselves
How did this pledge of allegiance acquire such widespread acceptance
and acquiescence while we all created a land of laws rather than justice
How does one make sense of that which is irrational, brutal, and deadly
while trying to remember to keep one's focus on the reasons one is here
The great paradox is that the temporal world is the illusion, not the reality,
for it was simply conceived as a means to allow souls to learn and progress
and while its very fabric will one day evaporate, the spiritual realm is eternal
And there is nothing more critical or more important for us to do than to focus
our energy, compassion, and intelligence on our own and others' spirituality,
even during our darkest and most formidable times of temporal existence
For these are the very moments when we have the opportunity to choose
to create within ourselves whomever it is that we truly wish to become
It is especially challenging when there are so many in this time and place
who are so zealously committed to killing others for the sake of their causes
They slink in the shadows, denying that their own words and deeds
are poisonous and corrupting to others as well as to themselves,
while all the time congratulating and honoring themselves
as the only truly faithful followers of their vengeful gods
Their screams of rage and hatred create a blinding shroud
under which they become seduced into feeding their fears,
and these are the very beasts which will never be satiated
The fact that they are insanely unforgiving and relentless
in their pursuits is more than pointless and unfruitful,
for they believe that taking lives and thereby denying
other souls the further opportunity for enlightenment
is justifiable in order to achieve their temporal goals,
none of which will transcend our temporal universe
And I cry out against the darkness of their despair
as I wonder, how did they fall so far from grace
when they were given so much from God
As the tears cascade down my cheeks,
I once again set out to travel onward
toward my own spiritual horizons,
renewed by my faith in and love
for God who gave me my soul
and a myriad of opportunities
to nurture and grow both it
and all the other souls
whom I may come
into contact with
But I must confess
that my belief, trust, and
fundamental, unconditional love
for my one true and loving soul mate
is my shelter and my mystical elixir
during my very brief time here
For while storms may rage
within this sea of stars,
I know absolutely
that she exists
at rainbow's end
She is my touchstone
for the reality of forever
and I will not let go of that
It's then that I close my eyes
while smiling and drinking deeply
of her essence, and wonder how her
critical spiritual journey is progressing
And no matter where or when she is or was,
I know somewhere in time we'll be reunited
and walk along the glorious shores of forever
We will behold and savor the miracle of our love
for each other, as well as for all the other souls,
and bask in the wondrous radiance of the ultimate
and everlasting symphony of loving light that is God

dennis j hopkins ~ 07/2002
© Copyright by the author, all rights reserved.
Email the author, Visit his wonderful website.