Heal Thyself

"This is not the kind of awareness that will bring real change and healing to our world," Meredith said. "I need to embrace my ability to feel and to live. I haven't even faced my own fearful nature, to discover the real person inside of me." 

"Look inside first, then outside," said her mother. "You must learn to grasp the whole picture."  

"I know, I want more than a clean environment, Mother. I want a healthy mind. No, even more than that. I want to rise above my conditioning to know the truth. If everyone reaches their highest potential that way, I'm sure we could change everything."

What We Deserve

"We get what we deserve, you know," said her mother. "If we truly want to heal the earth, we must be willing to start by healing ourselves. If we do this, we will succeed. But if we only want the earth to be better so that we can continue to ravage it for our own purposes, then we will fail, and we will suffer the consequences."

Time to Go

Shaman Far Heart now reappeared. "I am sorry, but now it is time to go," he said.

"I can't go now," said Meredith. "I am only just beginning to understand this world, this new way of looking at things. There is so much to say, so much to do. Please, just a little while longer."

Her father said, "We must not stay longer, or we will disturb what must be. Come with me, and I will show you the next world, where I make my home."

"What about you, Shaman Far Heart?" asked Meredith.

"I must leave you soon. You have a guide now, and I must return to my own world."

Absorb the Blows

"I can't leave you here, Mother," said Meredith, clinging to her mother. "You must come with us."

"No, I must stay here," said her mother. "This dream world is my rightful place, but your place is in the real world for now. Someday you may return here, but you cannot stay now. You must go."

"But the gray people will trample and wound you again," cried Meredith.

"Yes," said her mother, "It will happen again and again. I must be here to absorb those blows. It is my task.  Please don't make it harder, just go. It is dangerous for you to stay too long."

Fond Farewells

"Mother, you were right when you told me just now not to interfere. I see that I could have done nothing to save you, and I see that it is not my place to stay and help you now. Even though it tears my heart apart to leave you here, and it pains me beyond measure to see you suffer, I know you are doing what you must, and that you are helping to heal the earth. I love you so much, and I will be thinking of you always."

Meredith embraced her mother and kissed her. They both cried tears of love.

Tearfully Waving

Meredith turned away with a heavy heart to follow her father.  

"Come quickly," he said, taking her arm and hurrying her along. Meredith reluctantly allowed herself to be drawn away, tearfully waving goodbye to her mother, who stood on the flat stone by the spring, her white gown whipping in the rising wind.

"This way," said Shaman Far Heart, guiding them down the hillside toward the outskirts of the city to the west. Soon her mother was out of sight.

Sandstorm

A sandstorm was brewing. Hot wind full of dust particles bit their skin. Meredith pulled her hood tightly over her face as she trudged on, supported by her father's arm. 

The wind picked up. The trees bent wildly, hurling their arms about. A large branch fell with a crash in front of Meredith, narrowly missing her. Her father thrust her aside just before a large tree fell in front of them, blocking their path.

Air Cave

"This way," called the shaman, hurrying them away from the path. Despite the blinding wind, he seemed to know exactly where to go. A few yards to their right, a rocky cliff rose straight up. The shaman pointed to a dark spot in its contour. "In there, quickly!" he said, his voice vanishing into the wind.

He urged them toward the shadowy place, and as they reached it, the force of the wind thrust them directly inside. They huddled together for a moment recovering their strength and breathing sighs of relief. They were safe.  

The wind outside howled and whistled through spaces in the rock, creating drafts, but they were safe from its destructive force.