by Laura Farnsworth

Created on: March 31, 2009

The Great Wall

There is in existence a wall that is harder and bigger than the Great Wall of China. It is stronger than the Berlin Wall which no longer exists. This wall cannot be brought down by explosives nor can the force of nature bring it to its knees.

The force that erects this wall is stronger than any building material in the world. The wall becomes stronger with each passing day. It is built to protect the owner from hurt, injury, mistrust, and other verbal and emotional, hurtful things. Each hateful word, each sarcastic remark, each disappointment puts a new block or brick into the wall. With each and every passing day the wall's strength increases and the owner stops trusting, stops living, stops loving and stops feeling. The owner of this wall has protected its heart from ever being hurt again, from ever being broken again. The heart begins to feel safe, secure, warm and invincible. It is safe from the world.

One day, unexpectedly, someone knocks on the wall, seeking an audience with the owner of the heart. The heart refuses the stranger entrance, allowing not even a glance. As the days go by the stranger tries to talk to the heart but the heart will not allow it entrance. The stranger decides to have a conversation with the brain. The brain listens to the stranger. The stranger seems wise and begins to signal to the heart that the stranger seems to be nice and friendly, harmless. The heart weakens just a little and allows the stranger a glance. The stranger smiles and begins an intimate conversation. The heart pulls back and tells the stranger that it cannot get any closer. The stranger steps back, trying to calm the heart, reassuring its owner that it is okay, that nothing bad will happen. The heart calls to the brain. "Remember we have heard those words before. The stranger always lies until we trust them. Then once we are in their clutches, they stomp on us." The brain sends a message to the owner to send the stranger away. The stranger tells the owner. "I promise, I will never hurt you. Please give me a chance." The brain and the heart listen, waiting for the owner. The owner sighs, regretting the decision before it finishes the sentence. "Please don't break my heart. It has been hurt so many times. I can only give you a peek inside." The stranger holds the owner's hand, woos her, and makes her feel special. They share an afternoon together. The stranger begs for additional time. The owner of the heart smiles scared but refuses the stranger. The stranger softly kisses her lips, and again begs for time. She finally gives in and tells him he can visit her again the next day.

As the time goes by and with each passing day, the wall gets weaker. Slowly, the heart stops listening to the brain, and all reasoning and the wall becomes unstable and starts to crumble. The stranger falls in love with the heart's owner. The brain and the heart watch as the wall begins to fall slowly to the ground. They hope and pray that they have seen the last of the wall for years as the stranger tells the owner, "I will love you forever, with all my heart."

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