theres nothing around but a vast empty space in every direction. nothing behind. the image in front is simply a mirage. just your mind playing tricks on you, trying desperately to give you a glimmer of hope to hang on to.
you sink slowly at first. you fight it, struggling to stop the suction. you squirm and fight with all your might and make a little progress at first only to then sink even farther. its a hopeless situation..at least thats what you think to yourself. but still you fight.
out of the dust and tears you see a hand appear stretched outward towards you. you hesitate at first..it must be a mirage. but its so real...a voice is calling for you to just reach a little farther and it will pull you out.
no you say, perhaps you are too heavy and the suction too strong and will only pull the being in to the pit with you. but the voice assures you of its strength. you are up to your arm pits in sand now. if you are going to take the hand you have to do it now before its too late.
you try with all you have and are to reach the outstreched palm. finally you are within an inch of the hand. with one last ditch effort you close your eyes and extend yourself forward as far as possible and grab..
your hand closes around nothing but the dust that fills the air around you. you open your eyes and squint through the tears that have flowed continuously. nothing but nothingness. the hand, the voice, the hope..all are gone. you sink a little more as you struggle to free yourself from the wet claws that seem to have grabbed you by your ankles and locked on.
another hand appears, even more realistic than the first. the voice clearer, stronger. you reach but like the first, it disappears at the moment of contact. again and again a hand appears. again and again you reach but nothing.
all the while you struggle to keep from going completely under to the darkness below. how long will you struggle? you think often that you are making progress. youve gotten your arm free again..one and then the other. but then again you sink..to your neck, your chin. now do you close your eyes and think of something peaceful that has always made you smile..and keep still?
flower
I wont leave, if you give me one good reason to stay~Phyllis Hyman 1949-1995