My secret companions

Red Velvet

After my brief encounter with fear herself, I was thinking if maybe it hadn't just been a bunch of neurons dying making me hallucinate that I had a conversation with a woman in that tree. But little did I know that that first contact would be the first of many to come in that remote tree.

It was a cold day in winter and I was lying in bed late in the evening. Facing the ceiling and becoming ever more sleepy I started to reminesce of that girl and her curious look; black and white with an equally weird hat. "Come visit me anytime" she said, I clearly remember. So what if that could be possible? Could it? I mean, after all, I could have just been in the moment and then it was gone. Still, I tried to relax and started counting my breaths. Inhale, exhale, inhale and exhale. I was at it for at least a minute when I started to feel really sleepy but a gentle voice greeted me in pretty much the same way as it had before. "I can't believe it worked. I can come here at will and just spend time with emotions in the flesh" I thought to myself when the voice replied "not just anytime, there is a time for everything and getting in touch with your inner emotions is something difficult to accomplish. Most emotions won't show themselves and others you won't want to encounter".

I could quite make out where that voice was coming from exactly so I tried to get my bearings on it when that great pine tree appeared in front of me with a light flash. The tree trunk wasn't very wide but it was as tall as the eye could see; all the same the branched devoid of any leaves were more like platforms on which to stand rather that branches themselves.

On the second branch starting from the bottom a woman was sitting down with her legs hanging loose beneath her. I slowly approached her trying not to be disrespectul to Fear but I then realized she was wearing a red long-sleeved, turtle- neck jester suit with white squares in the front and she was holding a small staff to her side. Her head had no hat but her black hair was short and spiky.

"Fear? You look different" I greeted her. She turned to me and with the most aloof gesture said "Not here". "What?" I replied. "She's not here. If you're looking for Fear you are in the wrong spot". "Who are you?" I said. "Some don't recognize me even if they have me right under their noses. Some think I'm everywhere even when I'm not". "Love?" I asked. "Yes", replied the woman "It's nice to know someone knows me".

It was Love. The maker of most of my troubles and the one who made me feel awkward so many times in front of women. The emotion that's the most troublesome. "But I was looking, or rather, expecting Fear and not you. No disrespect but don't you think this is very strange?"

"Not at all. We're not that different and appart as you may think." She said moving her legs slightly, "Love carries with in itself the burden of responsibility and commitment and that many times makes you feel fear. You're scared you may fail, will not be loved in return or nervous about saying the wrong thing to the person you love".

"You make people go crazy, do crazy things..." I hadn't time to finish when she replied "I do nothing". Her voice was as soothing as fear's but it had an echo behind it. "You have to remember that we are emotions and that we are not the primary cause of things. We are a reaction and a means through with the body adapts to a situation. Love in other words, is not the initial action but the reation to what you may perceive as attraction".

"It nice to be around you" I said. "Thanks, but mind you, I can be as maddening as Fear when I'm around".

She turned and stood up quite gracefully with the staff still in her hands. She then bowed and gave me an ample smile. "Remember, it's not what I can do for you but what you can do for others with me"

After that I completely went over and fell asleep deeply. That encounter with Love showed me a lot of things about me and the way emotions are woven together. Who knew two opposite emotions would be so closely linked. Maybe that's why I found her instead of my initial target.