She listens to her soul in the dark, solitary corners of the silence. God hands her a life preserver, which she chooses not to take just yet. Foolish girl.

Yet, it is good for her to have this grievous, contemplative time to herself. Perhaps it’s meant for her to learn of Love the hard way.

It began when high school began. She thought herself better than everyone else. She was learning faster and had great talents, she believed. She was a perfectionist on the outside, but wouldn’t allow herself to criticize her pomposity. She accepted that she was She, utterly, magnificently.

She could do anything! Everything she touched was superlative and every song she sang was Art in the highest sense. No peak was too high, no feat was too demanding. She was a queenly benefactress to all her peers, who must always be in awe of her, wishing only to surpass her. Oh, how she loved them.

So then, (imagine!) she failed when she believed she should have easily succeeded. As she reached for what seemed merely the participation trophy, it was bitterly snatched away. She soon discovered everyone else had raced to the finish line while she was but half-way there, panting as hard as her lungs could endure. She grew tired in body and spirit.

Somewhere along the way, she had lost touch with the Soul. She believed an individual could do anything and everything, no matter how flawed humanity is. She was stubborn and ignorant. She thought she believed in Love, but she believed in jealousy and hate.

When I was ready, I did reach for God’s life preserver. I experienced a deep love, one I’d never felt before. My loneliness fled, and I was accepted and embraced. I felt all the love I thought I had given all these years, and now, out of the dark cave I had spent my life lurking in, I feel the light of Day.