| Reflection |
| Visiting my Living Library just after a late summer thunderstorm, I found the vegetation a glimmer with water droplets and the sweet smell of freshly watered soil. The area felt refreshingly cleansed and vitally alive. It was rather late in the evening, but I felt drawn to the head of the stream where the water parts. The streams were once again flowing and animated. I sat quietly, drinking in the freshness of revitalization. As I sat, I began to feel as if something behind me was beconing. Honoring this pull, I turned and looked around. No one was behind me. I then noticed a small pool of water that had collected in the basin of a scooped out elongated granite ledge. I had never seen this pool of water before, nor had I noticed the basin. Strangely enough though, I did notice now it was oval shaped like an eye, with the ridges of surrounding rock encircling it like an eyelid. I quietly approached the pool of water and sat beside it. The water became a reflective surface for the sunset. Beautiful violets, pinks, oranges and blues turned the pool into a vastly beautiful and in depth version of the sky overhead. The surface was an exact duplicate of the clarity and color of the above splendor. The small rock basin and the leaves covering the bottom of the tiny pool were no longer visible. The surface was perfectly mimicking as above. Feeling playful, I dropped a pebble into the center of the pool. The image distorted, sending out ripples of movement. Stillness once again returned to the water's surface after the moment had run its course. With the sun down now and the full moon shedding its reflected light, a moonlit darkness descended upon the woods. After a long period time, a star was shining brightly in the still water before me. The water had taken on the color and depth of the clear night sky. Starry patterns began to emerge upon the surface of the water. With my eyes adjusting to the lighting, I moved to get a closer look at the celestial reflection. Sitting now on the very edge of the basin, I looked into the water to get a closer look at the stars. To my immediate surprise, I gasped as I saw someone looking back at me! I thought I was alone sitting in the dark in the woods. Then with a big smile, and a chukle for being so gullible, I realized the other person looking at me was my own reflection. I took a second look, leaning far over the still pool of water. I was perfectly reflected. In the background, I could also see the sky and moonlight. I moved my head. My reflection mirrored my movement perfectly. How utterly silly this is, I thought. I have seen my reflection countless times in a mirror. This time though it felt like a live version of me. As I moved, she moved. As I peeked over the edge to look down at her, she peeked over the edge to look up at me. I felt like a child playing with a cherished new playmate with complete fascination and delight. Then I decided to touch her. As I reached to touch her fingers, my reflection reached out to touch me. Our fingertips met on the surface of the water. It felt like her fingertips were actually touching mine. I repeated the gesture of touch and again, she reached out to meet my touch. I felt as if this reflection was alive, living in a reality of two dimensions. I felt her reaching earnestly to touch the three dimensional likeness looking over her. Feeling great love and compassionn for this reflection put me into a different state of state of being. I saw myself as an overseeing ever present and always loving guide for this dear one who is existing in another reality. I know her thoughts. I know her heart. I know she feels alone, being of my essence, but separated and longing for connection. Again I reached out to her trying to add loving comfort to her existence. In her stillness, she was aware of me and she reached to touch me for guidance,comfort, and love. As our fingers met, a moment of infinite compassion transpired. The wind blew menacingly causing the pool surface to become distorted with ripples. Wanting to help her, I reached but she was unable to reach for me. The ripples continued to radiate from the center outward, affecting everything in her reality. I had to wait until her waters had cleared and once again she was calm. Once still, she could clearly reflect and connect with the higher dimensional aspect of herself. Then I heard an owl call out in the darkness. The sound shifted me back to the reality of me sitting in the dark by a collected pool of rain water. Donna Shaw |
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| Donna Jean Shaw June 9, 2002 |
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