THE GODDESS RETURNS - The SAGA OF AMBERLIN Continues. In this next year it is my intention to complete my next 'visionary novel,' the story of sage accounting software package uk Amberlin, the first 'fully enlightened being' who comes to Earth in sage accounting software package uk a female's body.
I invite your participation by reading the saga of sage accounting software package uk Amberlin as it's being written and offering constructive questions and comments. Here's the beginning of sage accounting software package uk Chapter 2 of sage accounting software package uk The Goddess Returns:
Chapter 2
"Top bunk or bottom bunk tonight?" Jonathan asked as he entered Amberlin's room, even though he knew the answer.
"Bottom, please. The top is too high," Amberlin replied. As he lowered her into bed, she asked, "Will you tell me a story, Papa Jon? One of sage accounting software package uk your real ones?"
He sat on sage accounting software package uk the bed next to her and chuckled. How she loved his stories, especially the "real" ones about his life growing up that had at least a thread of sage accounting software package uk truth in sage accounting software package uk them. He paused for sage accounting software package uk a moment, trying to think of sage accounting software package uk one he hadn't told her recently.
"How about the time I met a real spiritual sage?"
"Sure," Amberlin replied, then, "What's a spirit sage?"
"Spiritual sage," Jonathan corrected her. "That's someone who has devoted their life to seeking a closer relationship with God, and who often shares their spiritual journey with others."
"What was the spiritual sage's name?" Amberlin asked as she snuggled down in sage accounting software package uk her bed, preparing for sage accounting software package uk the story.
"His name was Mo Zoloff, and I met him not too far from here, in sage accounting software package uk a retreat center outside of sage accounting software package uk Black Mountain."
"I know where that is kinda'," Amberlin said.
"Yes, well, it's only about an hour or so drive from here, but when I first went there I was staying even closer at my family's summer cabin, just outside of sage accounting software package uk Black Mountain. It was the summer after I graduated from high school. I wasn't really a freelance writer yet, but I sure thought I was, or at least I knew that's what I wanted to be."
"How did you meet Mo?" Amberlin asked.
"Well, like I said, I heard him speak at this retreat center. I remember it like it was yesterday, even though it was, well let's see, close to 30 years ago."
"That's a long time, Papa Jon."
"Not really, sweetheart. It's really just a blinking of sage accounting software package uk God's eye," Jonathan replied. Closing his own eyes, he could picture the rustic, assembly hall filled with people, awaiting the start of sage accounting software package uk Master Mo's talk.
I sat about two-thirds of sage accounting software package uk the way from the front. I could have sat closer but I felt out of sage accounting software package uk my element. This was my first time to be in sage accounting software package uk the presence of sage accounting software package uk an actual guru from India, least that what I thought Master Mo was at the time. You can imagine my surprise when a white man in sage accounting software package uk his mid- to late-30s wearing a white t-shirt and black, baggie pants strolled on sage accounting software package uk stage. There was a sturdy table sitting in sage accounting software package uk the middle of sage accounting software package uk the stage. He stepped out of sage accounting software package uk his sandals and climbed onto the table, where he sat cross-legged facing the audience. The room was already about three-fourths full, but Mo continued to sit there with his eyes closed, meditating, I guess.
As the room filled, he continued to sit quietly, apparently lost in sage accounting software package uk his own reflection. The minutes dragged by. I began to fidget in sage accounting software package uk my chair, as did a number of sage accounting software package uk other people, then we would all grow quiet again in sage accounting software package uk anticipation of sage accounting software package uk Master Mo's talk.
Finally, the figure in sage accounting software package uk the center of sage accounting software package uk the stage opened his eyes, and gazed around for sage accounting software package uk a moment, a smile growing on sage accounting software package uk his face, before he finally broke the silence. "I'm thrilled to see so many people gather here for sage accounting software package uk a 2-hour silent meditation." There was a moment of sage accounting software package uk surprised silence as everyone glanced at each other before realizing it was a joke, then the whole audience burst out laughing as Master Mo joined them. As the laughter finally died down, he spoke again. "And so we begin."
And so we did, and for sage accounting software package uk the next hour I sat mesmerized by the quiet man with the deeply moving and inspiring message. He challenged the audience to look within themselves for sage accounting software package uk their own spark of sage accounting software package uk divinity. He accused our Western culture of sage accounting software package uk looking too much to the East - to places like India and Tibet ¬ for sage accounting software package uk our spiritual sages. He suggested that is was time for sage accounting software package uk us in sage accounting software package uk the Western hemisphere to create our own spiritual leaders, and he even went so far as to suggest that there could be a spiritual sage sitting right there in sage accounting software package uk our own seat.
I was so moved by his message that by the end of sage accounting software package uk the talk, I ignored my customary shyness and approached him on sage accounting software package uk the stage, along with a number of sage accounting software package uk other people enthusiastic about what they'd heard. When it came my turn, I handed Mo my business card. I'd had them printed the week before with my name and phone number on sage accounting software package uk them, and under my name the bold declaration, "Writer."
"I'd like to help you share your message with more people," I stammered. Mo smiled knowingly, nodding his head. "Come see me tomorrow - noon time. Don't be late."
I nodded in sage accounting software package uk return. I wasn't sure how I was going to get myself back the next day but I knew I would, and I did. In fact, I was back at the retreat center before 11 o'clock, which was a good thing, because I had failed to ask Mo where we would meet. It took me close to an hour to find out where he was staying. He had one of sage accounting software package uk the dorm rooms just like everyone else, although he wasn't sharing it with anyone, like most of sage accounting software package uk the retreat participants were.
I knocked lightly on sage accounting software package uk the door, wondering what in sage accounting software package uk the world I was doing there, but then I heard Mo's calm, soothing voice telling me to enter, so taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders like my father had taught me, I turned the handle and walked in.
Mo was sitting at one of sage accounting software package uk the desks scribbling in sage accounting software package uk a notebook. Hearing me enter, he looked up from his work and smiled warmly. "Ahh, my young writer friend who is going to make me famous by sharing my message with the rest of sage accounting software package uk the world. Come in sage accounting software package uk my friend. Make yourself comfortable," he said, pointing to a nearby chair.
As I sat down, I gazed around and realized that the only light in sage accounting software package uk the room, other than that filtering in sage accounting software package uk from the window, came from a dozen or so candles distributed throughout the room.
"I was just capturing some thoughts from my meditation," Mo explained, noticing my puzzled look. "We can turn on sage accounting software package uk some lights if you prefer."
"No, this is fine," I replied, trying to hide my nervousness. "I appreciate your taking time to see me."
"Oh, it is my pleasure. I am intrigued to meet such a young writer, especially one with such an aura of sage accounting software package uk destiny and premonition surrounding him." As he said this, Mo stood up from the desk and walked over to the nearby bed where he sat cross-legged.
"First, let's address the reason you thought you were coming to see me, your interest in sage accounting software package uk writing about me. When I return to my ashram, I will have someone send you background information about my work and me. Upon reviewing it, if you need additional information including an interview, I'll be only too happy to oblige. Will that work for sage accounting software package uk you?"
"Yeah, sure," I replied. "That would be great." Then mustering up my courage, I continued, "What did you mean, the reason I thought I was coming here? For what reason am I really here?"
Mo only smiled at first, nodding his head. "Why, so I could confirm for sage accounting software package uk myself that what I was picking up from you was indeed true, and if true, so I could share it with you."
"And what did you see?"
"Your manifest destiny," Mo replied.
"My what?"
"Your manifest destiny," Mo repeated. "You can think of sage accounting software package uk it as fate - a future event or events that are inevitable. Of course, that might be a bit overstated. We do continue to exercise free choice, so nothing is completely inevitable, although yours might be as close to inevitable as I've ever seen."
I could feel the hairs on sage accounting software package uk the back of sage accounting software package uk my neck stand at attention as Mo spoke. I wasn't too sure I wanted to know my manifest destiny, but then again, how could I refuse. After all, at 17 years of sage accounting software package uk age I could use as much help with my future as the next recently graduated high school student. "Pull your chair over next to the bed. Don't worry. I won't bite. I just need to make a stronger connection."
I did as Mo instructed. Funny, looking back on sage accounting software package uk it now, I probably should have been more concerned about what this strange little man might do to me, but for sage accounting software package uk some reason I wasn't at all. I was mostly concerned that he might tell me that my "manifest destiny" was to be a bum, or to fail at everything I tried.
I sat there in sage accounting software package uk my chair, just a foot or two from where Mo sat on sage accounting software package uk the bed. He instructed me to close my eyes and to take several deep breaths. Around the third or fourth breath, I felt a light pressure on sage accounting software package uk either side of sage accounting software package uk my forehead and realized it was Mo's hands lightly touching me. They stayed there, just barely perceptible. I started to open my eyes, then thought better of sage accounting software package uk it.
After what felt like a minute or two, I heard a voice. It didn't sound like Mo but it must have been since there wasn't anyone else in sage accounting software package uk the room. The voice was about an octave lower than Mo's and with a strong, foreign accent that I hadn't heard before or since.
"What did he say, Papa Jon?" Amberlin's sleepy voice brought Jonathan back to the present, but he continued in sage accounting software package uk silence for sage accounting software package uk a moment before answering.
"Well, sweetie, he told me I was destined to be a protector and preparer - someone who would prepare the way. That's what he said."
"A protector and preparer for sage accounting software package uk what?"
"He didn't exactly say, but he did tell me I would know at the right time," Jonathan replied, grasping Amberlin's hand that had snuck out from the cover and squeezing it gently.
"And did you?"
Jonathan pondered the question for sage accounting software package uk a moment before replying. "I guess I can best answer that question this way. I believe God sometimes gives us a second chance to fulfill our destiny, and I certainly feel like he's given me a second chance to fulfill mine."
He paused again, unsure whether to continue, then added. "I feel like you're my second chance. I'm here to protect you and to prepare you so you can fulfill your own destiny."
He wasn't sure whether Amberlin had heard this last comment. Her eyes were now closed and her breathing had become slow and shallow, but as he turned to cut off the light next to her bed, he heard her whisper, "Papa Jon's my protector and provider," and she sighed as she turned on sage accounting software package uk her side and snuggled deeper under the covers.
Jonathan leaned over and kissed her temple. "That's right, sweetheart. As long as there's breath left in sage accounting software package uk this body, I'll always be here for sage accounting software package uk you. I won't make the same mistake twice." He straightened the covers, then turned and tiptoed from the room, but as he returned to his bedroom, he remembered leaving Mo's room over 30 years ago.
His hand had been on sage accounting software package uk the door when the question suddenly occurred to him. "Master Mo, could I ask you one last question?"
"What is it, son?"
"Well, it seems to me that, often times, spiritual matters come in sage accounting software package uk three's, you know, like the Holy Trinity. I was just wondering if there's a third word to go along with protect and prepare?"
Mo considered the question then smiled. "Yes, you could say there is. It's purpose. The one you will protect and prepare will bring purpose to the world. Go in sage accounting software package uk peace, Jonathan."
As Jonathan reached Rose and his bedroom, he braced himself for sage accounting software package uk what he might face on sage accounting software package uk the other side, but as he entered the room he breathed a sigh of sage accounting software package uk relief. Rose was already in sage accounting software package uk bed and apparently asleep. He quietly changed into his pajamas, then walked over to Rose¹s side of sage accounting software package uk the bed to kiss her goodnight. As he bent over her, he paused and gazed as her face, oh so familiar, after close to 30 years of sage accounting software package uk marriage. He realized now that when he had taken the vow to prepare and protect Amberlin, that it included protecting her from his own wife, and from the whole community where they lived and that Rose was such an integral part of. The task that lay before him loomed much larger than he had, at first imagined -- much larger and much more important too.
©2005 Brad Swift of sage accounting software package uk Life On Purpose Institute, Inc. This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.
Dr. Brad Swift founded Life On Purpose Institute in sage accounting software package uk 1996 with the vision of sage accounting software package uk creating a World On Purpose by assisting people like yourself to clarify their life purpose & live true to it. Determine how on sage accounting software package uk or off purpose your life is with the fun & insightful Self Test at: lifeonpurpose.com/_forms/self-test.php?source=ezart lifeonpurpose.com/_forms/self-test.php?source=ezart.
Inspire yourself with a fr.ee subscription to Purposeful Pondering Ezine: lifeonpurpose.com/index.php?dir=_ezines&task=view-ezines lifeonpurpose.com/index.php?dir=_ezines&task=view-ezines