THE SEARCH

"Will true Spirit come forward, please?"

Nobody moves.

They all just stand there, some looking down, some staring straight ahead,

yet others watching each other in expectation.

"Who will step forward?"

Again, silence.

After a very long time, a shadowy, dark form moves slowly out of the crowd.

It shuffles toward the speaker.

"No, no, you're not Spirit........you're too dreary; full of sadness and suffering.

I feel much misery in you. Go back.

Another glides forward, smiling provocatively, "Will I do" ? it asks .

"You can't be Spirit. You pursue only pleasure and thrills. Go back to your place.

"Perhaps I'm the one you're looking for". Another has spoken.

It marches forward smartly, in true military fashion, clicking it's heels, as it stops

directly in front of Speaker.

Speaker looks Military up and down, feeling the ugliness of war, hate and killing.

Speaker orders it back.

"Hey, Dude, maybe I'm your guy." Oh boy, this one is even less like Spirit

than the others. As it comes forward in it's filthy garb, it is just finishing a can of beer,

which it casually tosses aside. After an enormous belch, it pops a cigar in it's mouth

and lights it, strutting all the while. As it comes closer, Speaker recoils from the stench,

and tells that one to return.

Another approaches. then another and another, each claiming to be Spirit, until at last,

they have all been seen.

But none of them have the magical child-like essence that only Spirit possesses.

Spirit must be gone, forever.

Speaker is very disheartened, and turns to leave.

But, wait !

A tiny voice is heard, from way in back of the pack, muffled by the density of the crowd.

A hush comes over them.

"Wait", it says. I'm here. I am Truth and Light and Love".

The crowd parts, and a brilliant radiance fills the room, so bright that they have to

shield their eyes.

It steps forward, almost floating, as it moves gracefully towards Speaker.

Speaker knows in his heart that this is true Spirit .

"But where have you been? Where did you go?, Speaker asks.

'I've been so lonely, and have had such an emptiness in me".

"I've been here all the time, but it became so dark and crowded, my light was extinguished,

and I fell asleep. I was hidden under all the misery, ignorance, fear and pretense. But, now,

you have exposed them for what they are, and have taken their power from them.

I've awakened from my sleep, and I'm here to be with you always".

Spirit moves toward Speaker, arms outstretched, and melts right into Speaker's body.

Speaker is at once filled with love, warmth and radiant energy.

"Never again will I allow myself to lose Spirit", he says.

I wrote this on April 10, 1993

There were a couple of lines at the end, that I have left out. They don't seem to fit any more.

This seems to fit in somewhat with my last piece here, I think. Hope you all enjoy it.

I love all of you.

D