MY JOURNEY

   In my life I have traveled on this road. The incline was steep and the terrain was rough. As I traveled, the incline started decreasing, I could breathe a little easier. I felt proud of how I continued on. Shortly after, I came to a crossroads. I made a choice and changed roads. This road was said to be the one for me, but as I traveled on I realized the signs were wrong. This road has twists and turns. It had ups and downs. It had pot holes and soft places that were hard to get through. This road was on a constant incline. It was tough and I was tired everyday. I was alone on this road and no one understood me. I was ridiculed for going down the very road I was told to go. As I journeyed down this road I felt ragged. I felt as if I couldn't go one more step and every day felt the same. I felt like I was getting relief just to realize I was trudging into a great, dark abyss. I slowly walked on. My momentum had long ago left me. My mind felt fragile as I jumped at every sound and my body ached from being so cold and so scared. Just when I thought I would lose my mind, I discovered another crossroads. I stopped and stared down the road as far as I could. I couldn't see far because that road had a sharp curve in it just a little ways up. I sat down in the middle of my road in the middle of this journey and cried. For days, I didn't move. For days, I could hear the taunting in my mind of the people that had been ridiculing me. For days, I prayed, just for it to get lost in the darkness. Finally, I made a decision. My heart felt as if it couldn't beat one more time. My mind felt like I would be lost in my fears and wander forever. My body hurt and ached from the journey, but my feet wouldn't oblige. They continued on as if they knew something I didn't. I went down the road and started into the sharp turn. As soon as I got out of view of the beginning of this road, I begin to feel something I hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. I smelled smells I haven't ever smelled before. I heard sounds that sounded Heavenly. My heart started beating so hard I could hear it in my ears. My feet felt lighter and my body felt renewed. I couldn't hardly stand the anticipation of what was before me. As I traveled down this mysterious road the darkness lifted slowly. It was if I was now walking in fog. It wasn't damp, but rather wrapped itself around me like a warm blanket. I could see the outline of someone in this fog. At first, I hesitated. I wasn't scared, but just apprehensive. I continued on deciding I would ignore whatever it was and just keep going. As I got closer the outline became a person and the voice that came out of that person made me smile. He was tall and rugged and a little rough but made me laugh. He asked if he could walk with me. He seemed to have been waiting for me. As we walked together, he seemed to be standing in sunshine, but the sun hadn't come out yet. I realized the light was coming from me. Somehow, he unlocked the sunshine in my soul I thought I had lost in the abyss and I began to bring the sunshine with us. This journey was new to us and we have had some rough terrain and some tears and confusion. For now, we are learning together on this new road. We have discovered things we never knew about ourselves. We have seen beautiful sights and have seen the sun shine brighter than ever before. Sometimes, I get lost in my mind as I remember the times in the abyss and I get scared to move or make a decision, but he grabs my hand and smiles. We are still walking towards the place that we can feel but can't see. The road isn't perfect and sometimes it is just as hard as it was before, but it seems easier with someone to walk with. The ghosts of the abyss tries to overtake our happiness and progress we have made, but each time we put them to rest again. We may part ways or we may continue on until our journey has ended, but for now, I am so glad to have someone on my journey with me. I appreciate the journey I am on now so much more because I have been where I couldn't walk one more step before. I enjoy the sunshine more because all I could see and feel is darkness and my pain. I do not know what lies before me, but I know where I have been and what I have learned through it. I cannot wait to see what I am feeling is ahead. This journey is far from over and I do not know what my future will bring but I know I will be okay.