A MEETING OF LOST SOULS

Once there was a man wandering alone down a dark and desolate road. All the land around him was dry and parched and the sky above was cloudy and grey. He appeared tired and weary and his steps seemed to carry him forward without his asking, for in his mind he had no desire to walk, yet an unseen power seemed to compel him so.

Then all at once the man stopped in his tracks and sat down by the roadside. There was no thought in his mind as to why he had stopped but neither did he feel a compulsion to keep walking.
After a short time the man noticed a figure approaching from the direction that he had just come, as the figure drew closer he beheld a woman of exquisite and unique beauty, yet no words could formulate in his head to describe her, for her true beauty lay not in the magnificent features of her face, her dark and alluring eyes and the perfect shape and tenderness of her lips, it was not in the slenderness of her neck nor the elegance of her shoulders. It was not either in the gracious curves of her glorious body nor the way she carried herself with dignity and pride for all these things were but reflections of the beauty that shone from within her, energy radiated from her and overpowered the man's senses so that he could now hear with his vision and taste with his touch and all at once the mans weariness vanished and he felt vibrant and alive. And the woman spoke to him and said,
For many years I have walked this path alone and in all that time I have met others only at the crossroads, how is it that I come to meet you sitting by the side of my road'
and the man answered, saying,
I too have traveled on this road for many years and it had been in my mind that it was mine alone to travel, and though my heart has felt incomplete and my soul seemed to have a seeking nature I continued walking with no knowledge of my destination.'
Then he continued, saying
Oftentimes I would come to crossroads and meet other souls on their journey and my heart would rejoice while my spirit walked in their steps, for their path seemed brighter than mine. Then, as though waking from a dream I would find that I no longer walked in their steps but traveled once again alone on this road and great sorrow would overcome my heart and my soul again would begin its search'
I know that of which you speak' said the woman, for I too have had similar meetings of the heart and joinings of spirit and though it was painful to do so I have always returned to my own path'
Then the man raised himself to his feet and looking around he noticed that the land, once dry and barren, was now lush and green and all around him the energy of life was buzzing
How strange it is' said the man at this time when my heart had grown tired of its own sadness and my soul had become weary of it's search that I would stop, with no knowledge of why, and in my stopping I would meet another soul traveling on this path that I long felt was mine alone to travel'
I find it not strange' replied the woman for is it not true that we find that which we seek at the very moment we stop looking?'
It would appear so' replied the man, who's spirit was now dancing and who's heart had forgotten all its sorrow.
Then the man and the woman began to walk together on the road which they once thought was there's alone, and in the sky the sun shone brightly and a rainbow appeared on the road ahead, and behind them they left but one set of footprints.

Learn more about this author, Neville Smart.
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