Vision

When I close my eyes this is what I see:

A large, circular, white sandstone fountain, its edges veined with aging cracks and clouds of dust that perpetually settle upon its surface. It is in the center of a much used marketplace, surrounded by wooden stalls and the distant murmur of life fading in and out of the background, filled with a beautiful, sky-blue water that lightly gurgles as the peaceful reflection of distant clouds on its face ripples outwards. The sun is a bright, constant reminder of the midday life surrounding me, reflecting off the rough, sandstone edges of this large fountain I'm standing next to. I can almost hear the sound of bells tinkling, and faintly feel the pleasure and heady joy of life beating around me with an almost tangible, undeniable vitality. Nothing has ever felt so real, yet the only thing that matters in this instant is that it is here that You meet me, the two of us standing face to face in front of this weathered, white fountain in the midst of the marketplace. My head is always bowed a little low, and Your eyes are always looking at me with patient encouragement as if You know where my next step lies, and are but waiting for the joy and pride of seeing me discover it for myself. I see you, dusty and weathered, warm and comfortable, Courage and Peace.