3With golden light around her
The sky above, the earth below.
The path was sure beneath her feet.
She followed lightly with eager steps,
Sure of her destination.
She had not travelled here before,
Yet she was not afraid;
The road led on before her
And sunlight showed the way.
Her journey was simple, there were no dangers,
She did not understand fear.
She hesitated -
Suddenly blotting out the sunlight
A dark clump of trees squatted, waiting.
Woods in shadow; gold faded to black.
No turning back, for her path
Led her into the trees' embrace.
The light fled from her eyes
And blindness seeped into her bones.
She had never known such darkness;
It pressed it's clammy fingers against her skin.
The only thing that pulled her onward
Was the path that guided her feet.
She ran
The darkness had led her astray
No path to follow; she was lost, lost!
Crying, terrified, fleeing blindly
From fears seen and unseen, within her mind.
Probing fingers clutch at her, dragging her down, down.
She had never known fear before now,
Had never been alone.
Always the path of her journey was clear
She had followed as blindly as she now ran
Bitter tears bled from her eyes
For the path had deserted her forever.
She stopped.
Blinked away her tears in wonder
For the woods had ended, the darkness fled
Golden light poured back into her heart.
The trees were behind her, and ahead was bright
Black fear receded to echoing memory.
She looked down, and sure enough,
There was the path beneath her feet.
It had never been lost,
It had always been there
Only dark despair had scattered her faith
And still her journey was not over.
She rejoiced!
For as she travelled on she knew
That she had grown and changed
No longer the innocent child of before
Now she had known the darkness and the light
And she was still alright, she had made it through.
And ever more in the darkness
Her faith will shine so bright
That endless night will pale before her.
Now, for eternity, she will understand:
Even if it cannot be seen,
The path is always beneath her feet.
She is never lost.