It is so cold
She lives in an icy cave. The temperature remains a solid 16 degrees below freezing. Her breath has become one with the cold air, and her lungs have adapted to minuscule warmth. She sits with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her hands are covered with white & light blue striped mittens. Sounds of shivering can be heard echoing all throughout the surrounding tunnels leading to her lonely burrow. Her only desire — to feel the warmth of a roaring fire melt away the piercing sting of an eternity of coldness.
i found you
Out of nowhere at all, the little girl heard a slight whisper, "I will be your breath." As odd as it sounded, she perked up slightly, for she hadn't heard any voice but her own for years. Who could it be?
"I will exchange my warm breaths with your cold air." — there it was again! This time she recognized it to be a woman's whisper.
In the next moment, a slight breeze wafted in through one of the tunnels. She briefly sensed the slightest touch of heat upon her right cheek. "Wow . . ." she breathed. Her eyes opened wide as more waves hovered into the burrow, slowly filling up the space with warm air.
She began to relax. Her lungs had been working overtime, and they were finally able to lessen their efforts. Her permanently frozen cheeks began to glisten with a comforting moisture. Leaning back on the snowy wall behind her, she let out a contented sigh. All she had to do now was wait.
"I will exchange my warm breaths with your cold air." — there it was again! This time she recognized it to be a woman's whisper.
In the next moment, a slight breeze wafted in through one of the tunnels. She briefly sensed the slightest touch of heat upon her right cheek. "Wow . . ." she breathed. Her eyes opened wide as more waves hovered into the burrow, slowly filling up the space with warm air.
She began to relax. Her lungs had been working overtime, and they were finally able to lessen their efforts. Her permanently frozen cheeks began to glisten with a comforting moisture. Leaning back on the snowy wall behind her, she let out a contented sigh. All she had to do now was wait.
excavation
Magically, a tiny fire pit appeared at her feet with bright flames that crackled noisily. Her wish had come true! She wiggled her toes inside of her boots, as this was the first time in ages that she could feel her feet. Because of the warm breaths and cozy fire, the walls started to melt. To be in a ice cave that was now melting meant one thing: water.
Using her teeth to yank off her right mitten, she cupped her hand to dip into the small stream next to her. She took a sip of the icy flow. It tasted refreshing. Though the water chilled her lips, it was warmer than her insides. A few more sips brought life back into her.
The stream was small at first, but over a few hours, a huge puddle had formed all around the fire pit. "It is time to journey through the tunnels back to the surface," whispered the mystery woman.
Remembering how she originally burrowed frantically into the cave, the little girl could not recall which way would lead her back out. It had been safest to stay in the cave until this moment; suddenly it was full of water. The logical option was to travel out the direction from where the breath had entered.
She slowly began to crawl forward. After a few yards, an intense yearning arose to return to the fire pit. Knowing it was too late for that, she began to panic. She hated the idea that the stinging freeze might overtake her once more. "I will keep breathing toward you to keep you warm enough to crawl out," reassured the woman.
At some points along the tunnel, snow had fallen in to block most of the path. The little girl waited until warm breaths steadily melted the area and cleared the way again. Each time this happened increased trust that the woman would be there for her. Still, it was scary not knowing for sure if everything would be okay. "I am still here. Now that I have reached you, I will not leave," whispered the woman.
A strange thing began to happen along the way. Previously, the little girl was the color of white and icy blue all over. Surprisingly, half of her was turning peachy pink. The rise in temperature was providing more than a merely a way out. Warmth was changing her.
Her heart beat loudly in anticipation. She rounded a corner and suddenly burst out into the open. As soon as the little girl had arrived to the surface, the woman was right there. She took her into her arms with a full embrace of welcoming home.
They both noticed that the little girl's feet were still stuck in the snow. "I feel it too," spoke the woman clearly, no longer a whisper, "I'm sure we will figure this out soon."
For now, they were mostly together. The little girl's feet were icy blue, but the rest of her glowed peachy pink. It didn't seem to matter now that she had reached her heat source and rescuer.
Using her teeth to yank off her right mitten, she cupped her hand to dip into the small stream next to her. She took a sip of the icy flow. It tasted refreshing. Though the water chilled her lips, it was warmer than her insides. A few more sips brought life back into her.
The stream was small at first, but over a few hours, a huge puddle had formed all around the fire pit. "It is time to journey through the tunnels back to the surface," whispered the mystery woman.
Remembering how she originally burrowed frantically into the cave, the little girl could not recall which way would lead her back out. It had been safest to stay in the cave until this moment; suddenly it was full of water. The logical option was to travel out the direction from where the breath had entered.
She slowly began to crawl forward. After a few yards, an intense yearning arose to return to the fire pit. Knowing it was too late for that, she began to panic. She hated the idea that the stinging freeze might overtake her once more. "I will keep breathing toward you to keep you warm enough to crawl out," reassured the woman.
At some points along the tunnel, snow had fallen in to block most of the path. The little girl waited until warm breaths steadily melted the area and cleared the way again. Each time this happened increased trust that the woman would be there for her. Still, it was scary not knowing for sure if everything would be okay. "I am still here. Now that I have reached you, I will not leave," whispered the woman.
A strange thing began to happen along the way. Previously, the little girl was the color of white and icy blue all over. Surprisingly, half of her was turning peachy pink. The rise in temperature was providing more than a merely a way out. Warmth was changing her.
Her heart beat loudly in anticipation. She rounded a corner and suddenly burst out into the open. As soon as the little girl had arrived to the surface, the woman was right there. She took her into her arms with a full embrace of welcoming home.
They both noticed that the little girl's feet were still stuck in the snow. "I feel it too," spoke the woman clearly, no longer a whisper, "I'm sure we will figure this out soon."
For now, they were mostly together. The little girl's feet were icy blue, but the rest of her glowed peachy pink. It didn't seem to matter now that she had reached her heat source and rescuer.
Lesson number one
The woman wanted to teach the little girl about love. "Come sit with me, and open your palms face up in your lap," directed the woman. As they both sat together in this way, they moved in unison. The woman wrapped her in a hug, telling her, "All of you is accepted. You are loved no matter what you say, and no matter what you do."
They closed their eyes and sat on the ground, palms up in their laps. As they both repeated the word ALL, a relaxed state washed over them. Eyes closed, jaw relaxing completely, shoulders releasing tension... they slowly laid all the way down on the bright green grass.
"Love accepts all of me!" chirped the little girl.
"That's right!" The woman's smile glowed in gladness.
The little girl finally felt content. "Let's always do this together."
And that was that. Every time the woman opened herself up to love from within, the little girl did too. They were finally together, and together they were complete. ♥
They closed their eyes and sat on the ground, palms up in their laps. As they both repeated the word ALL, a relaxed state washed over them. Eyes closed, jaw relaxing completely, shoulders releasing tension... they slowly laid all the way down on the bright green grass.
"Love accepts all of me!" chirped the little girl.
"That's right!" The woman's smile glowed in gladness.
The little girl finally felt content. "Let's always do this together."
And that was that. Every time the woman opened herself up to love from within, the little girl did too. They were finally together, and together they were complete. ♥