Rising, clinging to the sea wall

Mammoth Barnacle has been stepping up to see One’s light.

Deep down below in the sea of seas, tiny jellyfish Pinks has the same idea.

She stretches her tentacles, touches one of the steps of Mammoth.

Mammoth’s nerves send a current down Pinks’ arm-like tentacles.

Pinks retreats.

Thinking of another way, Pinks swims across the labyrinth of Mammoth’s steps

to Small Barnacle. Startled to see Pinks, he closes all his steps,

stacking them against the sea wall.

Pinks seeks an opening.

One’s light brightens one spot filled with bubbles.

Pinks looks through the fizz,

And sees an image of an iridescent line.

But frolicking dolphins’ swish by and disturb her view.

Feeling inadequate, Pinks frets.

“Why is it so hard to be in the light?”

Just then, a string of tiny mites forms a line, one latching on to the other.

Pinks sees how easily they go up the trail to visit One’s light,

On their way down from the surface, one less return.

Pinks notices this for a few days.

Mites go up, but one less return.

“They must be getting lost,” she thinks.

She must know why.

She stops one in motion and asks,

“I counted five going up, but only four returned.”

Mite replies, “She merged with One, never to return.”

One, the formless One, sees all and hears all.

One speaks.

When One speaks, everything moves.

Water, trees, birds, their feathers, everything.

“It is not your time yet,” whispers One.

“But why isn’t it?” asks Pinks.

“You keep trying to rise the steps, that’s why. Stay the course on the same plain in gratitude and patience. Swim the horizontal plane in contentment. When it is time, you will rise without obstruction, see the light forever and merge with One.”

“My Pa went to see your light and never returned to me,” adds Pinks.

“Your Pa is safe and sound in eternal light. Keep swimming with confidence, for

eternal light lives within you.

You are the light.”