The Anchor for My Soul

During the midnight hour, I escaped to begin a journey of independenceleaving home as my father slept, closing the cottage door behind me, crossing the bridge over the river, and as I did, I vowed in my heart to never return. Now choosing to face the world on my own, with all its glories and conudrums that all others can embrace. As I crossed the river into the world where everything was new, I became easly adapted to this intriuging way. days, weeks, and even months passed, as with my body, my heart also wondered. Looking and searching for meaning elsewhere, in this un purposed filled place. In this time of confusion and being scattered, I put on a strong face so that my neighbor would neither read me not see me break. Noticing I reached only a destination of destrucion on this journey, and the whole time, just tried to pass if off as normality. supressing all the good things, of love, joy, and peace... trading it in, cashing it all, for a false imposture or fun. Only have I been leaning on a false sense of hapiness that deep down I was aware of its limits, and that it is by no means everlasting. Tired of it all, I escaped to the wilderness, near the river where my father dwells. This is the closest I had been to him in months. The sounds of nature, river current rushing, leaves falling, squirrels playing, birds sings, the wind fighting.... all reminded me of him. Hearing this made my heart leap and yean for his embrace. Perplexed, I leaned against the tree closing my eyes. After dwelling on all I lost, I heard a faint whisper in the distance. The sound was like someone was calling my name. I began to run towards the voice, it turned from a whisper into a desperate shout as if someone's life depended on it. Finally I was led to the voice which came from the rivers edge. I stood there facing the bridge that I promised myself to never cross again. But at the end of the bridge was my father screaming my name.. relentlessly. As tears rolled down his cheeks, and the cry so important that his clothes were torn. bearing his garmets he was like a mad man on his knees, searching for his long lost. I could see him, and finally ran up to him, but paused before I could touch him and I said I'm sorry I cant, I have to go back. this is too much too big and Im undeserving. But he said, you see after you left I worked night and day until this bridge was rebuilt. And every night after it was built I stood here for hours, hoping you would hear me calling out your name. Finally you heard me. I collapsed where I was and then came my father picking me up and brushing me off. I just looked into the eyes that have lived and experienced more than I can even fathom. And in his eyes I saw the sacrifice, I saw his cry for me. I just stood their and with every ounce in me I wept. Words were nowhere to be found, but where words fail, tears tell many stories. so he told me to walk across the bridge with him. Every step across independence was dying and I became weaker. But then he got stronger carrying me across. Finally we reached the cottage and he placed me in bed, saying sleep tight all is well.