like jewels in the afternoon sun and the wind blew warm and sweet with their
perfume. My book had fallen against my chest and two of the pages now had bent corners. I rubbed my eyes and squinted while adjusting to the sunlight. Then in an instant She was there, amongst the wildflowers with me. I wasn�t scared. I didn�t run or leap back. A cosmic understanding of sorts became clear to me. She was there almost in the flesh. Her wavy hair glittered red in the sunlight as the wind made it slowly sway and Her skin was pale and smooth. A myriad of greens and golds flecked Her eyes. She stood motionless, wrapped in a long green drape, like a Roman toga, that fluttered in the wind. Sunlight seemed to emanate from Her very being. For several minutes I just stared at Her, speechless. I knew who She was right away. There is no one else She could have been. A melody seemed to emanate from Her like Tibetan bells. She had a bouquet of wilted roses in the right hand that was crossed over Her stomach. In Her left hand She held a glass pitcher of water. She smiled at me and poured some of the water onto the ground, not seeming to mind that it was soaking Her pale foot. She knelt down and pressed the cut roses into the earth. They sprang to life, their petals and leaves plumping, as the stems grew larger. They became
more vibrant red and the leaves grew glossy again. She stood up after watching
this rebirth for some time. The sun was beginning to set; the colors in the sky
only glorified the colors of Her eyes. I had been sitting there, staring, for
what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes. Now She moved closer. Her movements seemed fluid and effortless. She bent down and reached for my hand. I offered it without hesitation and She helped me up with ease. When I was fully standing, She put Her arms around me and hugged me gently. Then without warning, as abruptly as she had come, she disappeared. I stood, motionless and quite stupefied. Had I really seen Her? I mean, was that possible, and why me?
Was I so special that I deserved Her presence, if only for an instant? I tried
to gather my thoughts and searched the ground for my book. It was on there safely away from the damp spot of earth were the roses still stood. I walked
across the field and back down the road, humming a melody I didn�t really know.