Today is re-post one of your favorite posts day. Yeah, that’s right. Daysift Prompt.
She said it was a strange thing to be shrinking, growing more and more invisible each day. For awhile she resisted, fought, considered it a condition most reprehensible. Each time she realized how much farther the ceiling was moving, the more she hoped someone would notice, and perhaps tell her what they saw. What she looked like, because without some information as to what they perceived her to be, there would be no way for her to come back. It has always been thus; her reality existed only in the roles she performed for the people who passed through her dimension.
And then, just before she disappeared entirely, a voice, very small and quiet said, “I’m still here.” Was it her voice? Or simply an echo. It seemed unlikely at best that it might be her voice as she hadn’t heard it herself in a very long time.
Then again came the voice, “Hello there? Did you see me?”
She thought to herself, “How can this be? Someone can see me? But I’m utterly invisible.”
The voice seemed to able to read her mind, as the response came, “Well of course I can hear you, you are invisible after all?”
But I was wondering if you could see me, not hear me! Well, yes I suppose you’re right. I am invisible now, but it’s only just happened and I’m not quite used to the whole thing yet.
The voice before me was only that, a voice. Yet somehow the sound was visible.
“My dear, how can you not be accustomed to invisibility? Not a soul in the realm can acquire this state without a life time of diligent focus.”
Oh no, it was never even my intent, much less something I put effort towards.
“Best hope no one hears your belligerence! Have you forgotten? Invisibility is the highest form of existence and the most sought. There are however, a very few who are born that way. Is that it? Were you born invisible?”
Well, I don’t know really. I can’t remember a thing about it. Only that I tried very diligently to be seen.
“What a strange being you are. Clearly you’ve stumbled down The Other Rabbit Hole. It’s happened a few times before, and your kind typically arrive in a similar state. Can you still see me?”
Well, I can see your voice but I don’t understand how I can see something that is only a sound.
“Very good. Then keep looking. That is if you’re not too awake.”
Too awake?
“Yes, if you’re too awake you’ll need to stop looking, and then you won’t be able to hear what I’m about to show you.”
“In our realm, “Other” for short, when a soul is born as an invisible, something has gone terribly wrong and all powers are brought to aid. You see, there is nothing more precious and rare than a child here. And, for that child to be born invisible is to rob her of her life’s journey. Invisibility in childhood is always the result of the now highly rare low-nurture-chromosome in one, or, horror of horrors, both parents. So, in order for the child to have the opportunity to grow into her true and glorious invisibility, an entire network steps in to the aid of the young family.
Now, as I have said, this is extremely rare since we have long ago evolved as a species. Since you still seem to be struggling to see how invisibility could possibly be as splendid as I say, please let me know if you can still see my voice.”
Yes, yes. And I don’t feel too awake at all. I’ve never felt less too awake before in fact.
“The typical beginning of a child’s life here is nothing less than perfect. No attention is spared, no need ignored. And more than anything else, each child comes into the age of awareness (usually much younger here because of the absence of fear) with absolutely no doubt that she is loved, and wanted, and prized above all else. We’ve achieved this by many thousands of years of practicing humility. In fact, our only educational institutions are Humility Universities. And, of course the associated arts, compassion, empathy, and gratitude. Everything else is learned by living and sharing knowledge. Is this looking like a complete picture for you yet? Oh right, the invisibility quest. Our children grow up fully aware of their place and value that the only path left is to become so connected to all of the world they live in, that there is no need to be seen. I’m not completely invisible yet as you can hear. A few of us elders choose to remain slightly visible, just in case.”
Just in case……………someone like me stumbles into “other.”
“That’s right. We feel it’s important, to give this gift, if only to a few of yours. You see, that’s how we evolved, one being at a time, trusting another. But most of all, that relentless humility. Now my dear, you have a choice to make. You can most happily and with our genuine invitation, stay here in Other. If you choose to do so, you will be led through rigorous training to be rid of your false invisibility.”
And my other option?
photo by daysift
“We lost another one. Yes, the same question. Is there another option. So perplexing that they continue to think there is another choice than the path of humility.”
When I woke up, I knew it was my voice, the one that had said, I’m still here. And, I was invisible, with no one to teach me how to be truly invisible.
