The Lantern in the Forest

Imagine that you have moved away from all that was familiar in search of adventure.? After journeying for several days you come across a forest that stretches away to left and right as far as you can see.? Despite experiencing a slight sense of foreboding you walk into the forest as it does not appear that you would be able to walk around it.? More importantly, this is the sort of adventure that you have chosen to embark upon.?

The trees are densely packed and so it is hard to move in a straight line. ?After walking for what seems a long time it is starting to get dark.? You turn around hoping to see the way that you have come, so you might retrace your steps if needed.? However the view behind is now the same as that ahead and it is impossible to see either the way you have come or the way you need to go.? The light continues to fade with the effect exaggerated by the tall trees all around and their dense canopy of leaves.?

You are becoming conscious of being all alone. You do not know which way to turn, as everywhere you look all you can see are dark trees extending far away into the darker shadows.? They rise far above you and beyond their tall tips there is now an inky black sky with the occasional glimpse of a star or a wisp of cold grey cloud passing over.? Time seems to be stretching out in all directions so that it becomes hard to remember when it was that you first stepped in among the trees.? Although you are not tired, you decide to wait until it becomes lighter before moving on as you are worried you might trip and fall in the gloom.? You settle down with your back against a tree and start to sit it out until morning.?

The forest is alive with a wide variety of unseen creatures and with the wind rustling the leaves high overhead there seems little chance for sleep.?? However, you gradually become accustomed to these night time noises and find yourself drifting off.?

You are woken by a sound that seems to stand out from the background.? At first you are unsure that you heard anything and so you stand up to get a different perspective, straining to hear.? You look all around and for a moment the view in every direction appears to be the same.?

The first flickers of light seem like they may be imagined as the gap between them lasts for many minutes. ?As you strain to see, they become more frequent and seem also to be gradually increasing in brightness.? The light appears to be coming from a lantern and the flickering is caused by the light passing behind the trees.? It is raised on a pole so that it creates a pool upon the ground to show its owner a clear path through the tangle of roots and ferns. ?The sound you had heard is caused by gentle footfalls upon the leaves and dry twigs of the forest floor.?

Eventually the figure comes nearer and you begin to make out the hooded cloak and large staff with the swinging lantern hanging from its top.? The figure is weaving a path through the trees which turns left then right but seems to be coming ever closer to where you stand.? You wonder how they can see you when you struggle to see yourself.?

The stranger comes up to you and greets you and takes a seat upon the moss.? “You seem troubled”. ?This is offered more as a statement than a question yet seems to be an invitation for you to talk.? You are troubled and you are unsure whether having this stranger beside you reduces this or creates a further cause for concern.??

In the gloom it is hard to see the stranger’s face and so you start to imagine how they might look. ?Perhaps there is a long grey beard as a symbol of age and wisdom, or the fresh faced androgyny of a timeless spirit.??

Sitting side by side it feels easy to talk without seeing judgement in the other’s eyes and so you describe your life before you set out on this journey.? You talk about what you have left behind and your desires and ambitions for what may lie ahead.?

With encouragement, you then begin to describe your current predicament of feeling lost.? The more you talk the richer your description becomes.? You are exploring every aspect of your current situation ranging through your conflicting thoughts and feelings, making connections with past experiences and linking to future dreams. It seems as if the lantern is being held in a way that allows you to see yourself more clearly.???

In speaking your story out loud it has become a different narrative. ?Unspoken it seemed to be a tale of loss and frustration and even hopelessness.? The tale you are sharing began with the sensation of being lost but is now about drawing upon your strengths and talents to find ways to overcome your fears.????

As the morning starts to penetrate down through the branches you feel a growing certainty about the next stage of your journey.? You are starting to recognise the differences between the trees that surround you, you are able to identify tracks and pathways along the ground that were invisible before and you can feel the faintest breeze that you know comes from a place beyond the forest.? You stand to stretch your limbs and to take deep breaths of this crisp morning air and as you turn around you see that the stranger is no longer with you.??

As you leave to continue on your journey you reflect upon the conversation that has lasted throughout the night and into the dawn.? You recognise that any map that might have guided you through these woods would be useless in any of the forests that lie beyond.? By developing your knowledge, skills and experience you know that you will find a way to overcome whatever challenges may lie ahead. ?In the absence of fear you can now fully appreciate the beauty of the land that you are journeying through.?

? 2017 Michael Golding

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