The Faraway Land (2000)

Standing in solitude

At the edge of the great Canyon,

I looked out across a wide expanse.

In the distance, I could see the faraway Land.

A lush, inviting, beautiful place,

Offering the promise of solace and peace.

Dreams of this place consumed my days.

Visions of happiness, liberation and ecstasy

Filled my soul and gave me comfort.

At times when I was overpowered with

Feelings of distress, anguish and sorrow,

I would turn to thoughts of the faraway Land

For reassurance, contentment and tranquility.

As I looked down and surveyed

The vast expanse of the great Canyon

I recognized that the journey to the faraway Land

Would be long, arduous and filled with adversity.

Realizing this dream would be exhausting,

And the effort required would be tremendous.

Do I possess the strength for this journey?

Would the rewards be worth the struggles?

Could the promises that the faraway Land proffered

Be ample sustenance when continuing seemed hopeless?

Strong ambition and good intentions alone

Are not enough to pave the road to this place.

Standing in solitude

At the edge of the great Canyon,

Despair and doubt overwhelmed me.

The faraway Land all at once seemed too far away,

And the rewards seemed not worth undertaking

So arduous and perilous a journey alone.

Suddenly, as my heart was dark and heavy

With the pain of sadness and failure,

I felt the warmth of a hand in mine.

Fingers, intertwined with my own,

Tightened around mine and gently imparted

An extraordinary strength I had not possessed before.

Soft yet secure, the touch of this hand in mine

Gave rise to a new sense of competence and power.

My spirit for adventure was reborn,

And I rapidly found my desire to begin my journey

To the faraway Land reaching a feverish intensity.

Solace and peace were finally within my reach.

I know that I could not undertake such

An adventure without the energy and love

Given me by that hand – your hand – in mine.

Alone, failure would have been virtually certain.

But with you next to me, the long journey

To the faraway Land and all its beautiful rewards

Has become the wondrous adventure of a lifetime.

(for BD)