March 2004
Life Junction
It was at the life juction of opportunity, choice, plan and luck that I saw us. Like lost little children, we looked at all the avenues, weighing which might afford us the route back to the security and safety of our future. Though we could not run to a parent for a hug like when we were little lost children, it was that completeness we craved.
Each route offered its own attractions and mysteries. Opportunity Road displayed a brilliant diamond floating just about in reach. It tantalised, teased and invited us. Glancing over at Choice Road with its array of goods on offer, we saw from the corner of our eyes the diamond on Opportunity Road had been replaced by a pearl, what dilemma! Meanwhile, Plan Road stood steadily behind us, no matter which way we faced, though it offered nothing more than we could guess. Facing Luck Road, the ugly gester named "Chaos" was sticking its tongue out at us.
Still lost, still confused we had no choice, but to go forth into our future. Just like the last time at the junction and the ones that are sure to come after it, we were overwhelmed by the madness, the mess there. This was all familiar, but we had forgotten how we got through it the last time. To add to the cocktail of uncertainty, the DJ played his music of life full blast to overwhelm our sensory receptors. It was right in the middle of this mayhem that we bumped into one another, still so so unsure.
Feeling the scratches and grazes gained last time around, we danced along to the DJ's tune, oblivious of where this would take us. As time raced forth, the roads of Opportunity and Choice put on an ever-changing and delicious display. At the same time Chaos grew bolder and bolder, stepping out from his place at the gates of Luck Road, and blew his magic dust from his malformed hand into the air around us.
When our dance came to an end, he gave me a little bow and excused himself to go and choose his road. As he parted, I felt a cold breeze and shivered. Looking around I saw nobody else feeling the same breeze, it was mine and mine alone.
His departure to look for pastures new made my heart heavy, and my body cold, yet they jolted something in me. I recalled just how I had gotten past the last junction. I had taken Opportunity Road, but found more than just the gem that I took at the entrance. I had found a side road, which led me through a calmer alley that ran parallel to Opportunity Road. The side road was called Guts Road, it had led me to the alley. Though it had no name, I came to call it Support, for I had gotten through it on the love and emotion of friends and lovers. It was only this that had made the pains of life's treks less severe.