D+A (6.2.09)

I am with my mom and we are on this mystical planet. It almost feels like something out of Super Mario Bros; things are so surreal. We are on a mission to get...somewhere...so we can do/be....something. We arrive at this strange land by crawling out of a dark, damp cave in the side of a mountain island in the middle of the ocean. As we emerge, we have a view of deep blue water that stretches as far as the eye can see. The sky is vibrant and bright, the sun is shining, the clouds are fluffy and almost blindingly white. The temperature of the atmosphere is so perfect it almost feels like an embrace. 

There is much commotion in the water, with strange, cartoonish creatures swimming about and gigantic antique ships sailing to and fro. Some of the ships are run by pirates, which is evident by the black and white skull and crossbones flag billowing in the breeze and the giant puffs from cannons firing at neighboring ships. This does not seem disturbing or scary, however. On the contrary, the entire energy of this scenario is upbeat and almost jovial. The pirates are simply seen as doing what pirates do, fulfilling their pirate duties and performing their assigned role in the grand scheme of things. The world is operating in perfect working order.

My mom and I know that we have to swim across this water to get...wherever it is we are going. She warns me, right after I slip into the water, that the "fish" are going to swim up to me and that this cannot be avoided. Nobody can swim through this water without the "fish" knowing and it is important that I do not try to get away from them or fight them off. Furthermore, it is vital that I let them get as close to me as they want and even touch me or bump against me if that is their wish. As my mother imparts this information I begin to panic slightly and have to fight the urge to turn back. I don't want any slimy creature touching me! But it's too late - I see the ripples in the water as the school approaches me. My mom calls out "here they come already!" She does not share my apprehension; she seems indifferent or almost welcoming to their presence. Once they reach me I feel their slithery, slimy bodies weaving between my legs and their flat heads bumping against my hips. Then their heads start rising out of the water and I see that these are not "fish" but rather gigantic eels with silvery razor-sharp teeth 3 to 4 inches long protruding from their mouths. They swim up to my face, shrieking and snapping and head-butting. My mother is still swimming behind me, ultimately unconcerned and even amused by my predicament. She knows I am panicking and continues to instruct me not to fight them off or show any aggression, fear, or disgust. I must remain calm and let them do their job. We continue swimming toward one of the massive ships and eventually the eels subside and we reach....our destination. I don't know/remember what or where it was, but it was a cozy, cushiony place in plush shades of purple. I do know that it felt like a middle ground. A resting place but not our ultimate destination. Our journey was just beginning.