The ship sailed up the river. The deck was full of people, people of all ages and from every nation. They had been rescued from the dark land. A band was playing on the deck. Their songs of joy were wafting over the ship. The music could be seen coming out of the instruments like ribbons of colour that twirled and twisted through the air. Some of the ribbons would twist around people. For some, when the ribbons touched them, they began to sway back and forth to the music. Each time they swayed, small stones would fall from their clothing. The stones were years of dancelessness and swaylessness that had filled their pockets. The pockets were all over their bodies. As the stones fell slowly out of their pockets, expressions of joy came on their faces. Many straightened their backs and looked around in astonishment and joy, surprised at how they felt lighter. Some would walk around, surprised how it felt so much easier to go and talk to someone else.
When the ribbons touched others, they began to dance gracefully like ballerinas soaring through the air.
When the ribbons touched some, their feet began to tap. Some were wearing boots. As they tapped their boots to the rhythm of the music, the deck resonated like a bass drum. As the deck resonated, the vibrations could be seen rising from the deck. The vibrations turned into oil that soothed tired feet and also washed off caked-on mud that had come from the dark land.
When the ribbons of joy touched others, their heads were lifted, and scales fell from their eyes. They began to look around and up. They saw eagles that were swirling around in the air over the ship. Some ribbons flew into the air and created updrafts that the eagles soared on. The eagles were singing and calling to their friends who came from the far-off land, the land of plenty and the land of dancing. Their friends were owls and ravens. In their beaks they were carrying small packages. The packages were of many different colours and shapes and every substance imaginable.
The owls and ravens would look to the captain of the ship. He was called the ONE. When the owls and ravens caught the eye of the ONE, he would cast his gaze, and the owls and ravens would fly over each person the ONE had chosen with his gaze. When the owls and ravens flew over each person, they would open their beak in shrieks of joy releasing the packages they were carrying. As the packages fell, they changed into many different shapes that would fit into each person’s heart. When people’s hearts were touched, many wept and some fell to the ground. Some laughed and others shouted with joy. Some just gently smiled. Many turned their heads to the direction of the far-off land. Many looked at the ONE.
For some, the packages turned into water that washed off the dirt from the dark land.
Flute players were walking amongst the people. As they played, the music came out of their flutes in rainbow colours that would turn into blankets that would wrap around people. The blankets were warm and cozy and heavy, and many would lay down to rest and sleep--rest and sleep they had never had in the dark land. Oozing from the blankets were small droplets of oil that healed people’s wounds and even their scars from the dark land.
Many danced, many swayed.
The ship continued up the river. The band kept playing.
