The Law of Listening


My mind, it seems, is having a breakdown. I found her in a puddle of tears and a state of exhaustion. She was wailing, railing against the empty ocean. I didn’t know what to do.

“It’s like this,” she said, “I have run out of things to read and write and see and feel. I can no longer create myself!”

I listened as the rant continued.

“I have no ships coming in. As far as I look, I can see nothing headed in my direction. All the ships are sunk. All the battles lost.”

She meant it. Her agony was real. I listened some more.

“I want things to go my way. I have tried so hard. And look, it’s useless. Nothing in sight. I can’t even hear anything inside my head. It’s dark in here.”

I made a cup of tea and stayed in the kitchen, hoping she would settle down a bit before I came back in. I watched her as she begin to wind down a bit.

“I’m afraid of the dark. I’m afraid of the light. I’m afraid, period! I want to go on to the next thing and the next thing and the next thing.” Now she was crying real tears. I wanted to console her, but this is not allowed. It is never allowed while the mind is having its say. I could only watch and listen.

My mind (the mind in all humanity) begin to sound a different note. It was like a child crying for its mother, like a puppy whimpering for its littermate. Finally, I heard this one last cry, “Help!”

And happily I went into the room with her and surrounded her with my arms, the ones made of light. She fell asleep there for a time but I knew she would wake up suddenly, once again in need of something she could never have, at least not on the level she was seeking it. But I would be there. I would always be there.

Vicki Woodyard

2 Comments

  1. Wow. Absolutely beautifully intense, Vicki. Just listening, then embracing and loving her is all that was needed and you knew this. I was talking to someone yesterday about the lesson of letting go of fighting the inner battle, but instead doing just as wrote so beautifully. Embracing, loving and surrounding with light the shadow-self which will always be crying “Help.” Thank you for this incredible, loving lesson.

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