A NEW PATH

Starting Out

As she stepped out of her home for a walk, the young woman’s mind was heavy with concerns and worries. Her footfalls became heavier and heavier as she moved along the sidewalk. The further she went, the more her shoulders sagged. Her focus was on her burdens. She played them over and over. She had so many things she wished she could change.

She moved along through the streets of her town. Her eyes looking downward, she barely noticed her feet moving one after the other. Deep in thought she walked non-stop. Not noticing the passage of time or anything around her.

Falling Down

She left the sidewalks and streets of her community behind, following a gently rolling road. Eventually she stumbled, nearly falling, causing her to quickly wake up from her reverie. As she caught her balance, she looked up. In front of her was a beautiful field full of wildflowers. She had never noticed this meadow before, though it was familiar to her.

She decided to follow a path through the field. On both sides there were blooms in purples, reds, pinks, yellows, whites, and oranges. Bees and butterflies abounded.  As she opened all of her senses, she became aware of birds singing. Looking heavenward, the sun warmed her face. For the first time in a long time, she smiled.

Coming upon a small knoll, the woman sat down. In the distance she saw a stream and the mountains that framed her town. She closed her eyes, breathing in the beauty of her surroundings through all of her senses. She focused on deep breaths and felt nature’s healing all around her.

One Balloon For One Worry

As she relaxed and meditated, through her intuition she felt a deeply loving presence with her. She became aware of a bunch of balloons, paper, and a pen held out to her. She started writing her worries and heavy thoughts one at a time. She tied each to a balloon and let it go. She went through many, many balloons. As she released them one by one, she watched every trouble gently drift off on the currents of the wind. 

Eventually, the need for the balloons subsided and she felt deeply at peace. She thanked her heavenly helper and opened her eyes. Everything around her seemed brighter. The smells of the flowers were sweeter. There was a glow within her that she hadn’t noticed before. As she focused on how loved she felt, the warmth inside her heart grew.

Fearlessly Moving Ahead

Slowly she stood and pondered her next step. Did she follow the same route home or venture further down this path? Feeling a brief pang of fear, she mentally wrote it down and tied it to a balloon. She took a deep breath and let it go. Knowing that she was never really alone, she turned toward the unexplored trail, trusting it would bring her where she needed to go. With her head held high and her shoulders back, she moved forward. She was open to the beauty ahead.