The Trip

I embark on a perilous journey.

The path is dark, but I will be light.

I come across lost souls

and skeletons of those who

have sought forbidden knowledge.

Only I can walk this road. I need

to be alone, as I search for

the meaning of life. My mind

is fragile, and my body is weak.

Still, I push on and find the strength

to take one step after the other.

The closer that I am to finding

myself, the further I am from

the person I used to be. I am

forever changing. I realize that all

I think I know will come and go.

The words I said yesterday may

carry more weight today. With every

step, I gain wisdom, but I lose

a past perspective. Despite

my inevitable metamorphosis,

my goal has never changed.

The wind will blow,

and the river will flow.

Such is life. It moves on

all the same. The darkest nights

make us realize how bright

our fire can burn. The torch

we carry will guide us, as we

descend deeper into our very

existence. I look around and see

multiple versions of me – some

young: some old. They have

been with me every step of

the way. Who I was yesterday

and who I will be tomorrow

will become one. I am the product

of pain, love, faith, fear,

and change. I look up and see

a shadowy figure, about my

height, walking just a few steps

ahead of me. It walks exactly

like me and is matching my pace.

Because I’m behind it, I can’t

see it’s face. I ask for it’s name,

but the figure doesn’t slow down.

After a mile or so, to my surprise,

it stops, and turns around.

It doesn’t make a sound.

I hold up my torch up to its face,

lean in, and take a closer look.

I take a deep breath and smile.

At last, I can finally relax; I am

not lost anymore, as I found what

I was looking for; I found myself.