Entering Paradise

It was bright, silvery, and so very big. It was a full moon and it appeared to be bobbing ahead of me, at the end of a tree-lined path. So odd I thought, so unusual, but the trees were draped in lacy, Spanish moss. To my left was a river and it appeared that I was in the bayou. I? In the bayou, in New Orleans, Louisiana, a state I had never been in, and yet, here I was.

The mind plays funny games at times, things that don’t seem to rhyme. So I set off along that path noticing that across the swampy river red lights glowed in the dark. The eyes of night creatures, wondering what creature was I. I could imagine a crocodile coming ashore and suddenly there was one right near the riverbank. I swear that the gator leered at me as I kept walking.

The moon made the river appear to be silver and now a face on it did appear. The moon gave me a wink and I winked right back. Along the path, a breeze picked up, and as the Spanish moss began swinging from the branches a mysterious world of light and shadow made me wonder if this place was haunted. Perhaps spirits were following me, all of this could be or was it just me? Perhaps like Alice I had tumbled down a rabbit hole.

It seemed I was in another world, the real one now so far away. As the Spanish moss did sway, I thought I heard some music playing. It was the sad plaintive melody of a gypsy violin. Then there ahead of me I saw the end of the path and it appeared to me, that I was about to step right up to that glowing moon. When out of the shadows I came, I was upon a grassy riverbank. Upon a hill stood an old plantation house its windows sightlessly looking out at me.

Then from the moon and glowing stars above sparkles seemed to be falling. Like silver rain, they streamed down and I realized it was stardust raining down on me. Then looking back at the plantation I saw all the windows brightly lit. To me, it appeared that there must be spirits within wanting to say hello to me. So up to the plantation, I climbed and stepped on the wooden porch my steps seemed to echo. Why I thought to myself I seemed to be as light as a feather. I took the golden knocker in my hand and rapped upon the door.

I wondered what awaited me, would this make me happy, scared, or sad, and if there was a way back again? The door opened and upon the threshold stood the love of my life, my soul mate, looking so handsome and young. He said to me, “Welcome, home!” It was then I realized I had crossed that proverbial river, to the other side, to that world beyond, where together we would spend eternity in Paradise.

When I awoke everything seemed so strange to me, I longed to be, there with my love, but felt happy and content - knowing that someday I would return and my Paradise would be waiting for me.