The Forest

The Space Between

It didn't take long before a past and the future decided to find each other.  And the beautiful future left the security of its place and scaled down its tower toward the ground where a past was standing.  

The future said to a past, "I am going to follow the same footprints you made that lead you to find me. I promise I will not deviate from the way, I'll go straight ahead, in one direction only, just like you."  

And a past said to the future, "I am going to follow the same path you took to get here. I promise I will not lose the way and will only look straight ahead, in one direction, to where you are."

They both agreed that they had come up with a perfect plan and parted ways in great anticipation of a quest and promise to find each other.  A past was so eager to begin its adventure that it took one giant leap up toward the base of the tower.  And the future, equally brave in setting out on an unknown course of uncertainty and regrets, landed itself right in the soft and understanding soil left behind by a past.  And from that point on, the two chased each other's steps, in opposite directions, in the hopes of meeting and doing something great together.   

At first, a past was very optimistic.  It could see very clearly for miles and miles traveling up a straight line to its certain destination.  The terrain, rugged and sharp at times, was easily accomplished.  There were no distractions or interests.  In fact, the route was featureless and boring.  But a past had no intention of losing its sight of the future and continued on relentlessly.     

The future too started out very hopeful.  It stepped back into a story that gave it worth and value and it began to cherish the hard work it endured as it followed.  There were failures along the way but there were also graces, and soon it began to feel worthy of its way.  But as the future carried on through a past, it was faced with loss and pain, grief and loneliness.  It began to realize that a past was not such an easy route.  It tripped many times and fell down in between the sharp edges of rock that it bouldered over on its decent.  But it carried on through the straight line it promised a past.

The pair were inseparable.

But after some time, they began to wonder if they would ever get a chance to see each other again.  And soon, they started to realize that two straight lines will never have the opportunity to touch.  So they decided to change their way.

On the way up was a flower.  It was sad and wilted.  It was too far to reach.  But it leaned its stem into the sunshine that reigned warmth onto the space in between, and a past decided to follow it.  At first, it took just a small step.  But then, it decided to sit down beside the flower to sing it a lullaby.  They sat in the sunshine until the sky turned to stars and the flower was bright and full of life.  But a past was quickly threatened by its loss of course, knowing that the future might be lost forever.  And so it left the flower in its dream to follow.

The future also was very fearful of leaving the safety of the straight line to a past.  It was afraid it might never see a past again.  It too decided to make a choice.  And it began to realize that the straight line to a past wasn't hard to avoid at all.  It was easy for the future to step off of the line into the path of another boulder on the way.  So it carefully leaned over and balanced its weight on the tip of a rock that was biggest amongst a group of smaller rocks scattered around it.  It felt tall and proud;  strong and accomplished.  It could feel the weight of its strength below and value in the fragments of stone it shed.  But after standing on the tip of its surface for some time, the future didn't feel like it belonged anymore.   

So the future continued on the straight line to a past like promised.   

Further up the path was a beautiful flower bordering the straight line to the future, but just out of reach.  A past wondered how it got there.  It paused to consider how such a beautiful flower could flourish in a field of stone.  It reached up to try to touch one of its petals, but it was too far away.  It reached across to try to touch its stem, but it couldn't.  Finally, it canvassed the ground for a root that would hold a reason, but it didn't.

So a past continued on the straight line to the future like promised in the hopes they would meet again.  They both followed the straight lines for a long time and never got lost.  But they became very weary and tired.

The future thought about the big rock centered in the middle of its stones and remembered what it felt like to stand there.  A past thought about the beautiful flower it passed on its way up, looking back to see if it was still there.  And the more they thought, the closer they got to each other.  So close that they could hear each other thinking and almost see each other.  As a past stood there next to the beautiful flower, it said to the future, "Do you know where I am?"

The future, still balancing on the rock, wasn't sure, but could hear a beautiful story.  A past said, "I am sitting next to a dream."

The future smiled.

Then the future said to a past, "Do you know where I am?" 

A past could feel the strength of its words and prize within reach.

And a future spoke, "I finally found you."