XI

I ripped through every single page, through the preface and the epilogue. I searched through history books and websites. I listened to the songs, over and over again, until i knew all the words, all the twists and turns, all the secrets. I depicted the drawings on the wall, the faded photographs, the letters never sealed and never sent. I walked back and forth, to the edge of the earth, to the end of the road, to the corners of the sky. I asked every question, peered into every soul, borrowed every dream. All the memories, fears, and hopes became a part of me. I was pulled in every direction, torn between each path, spinning in circles and walking a tightrope. I experienced every rock bottom, every tip top, and everything in the middle, trying to find an answer. Then I realized it was buried deep inside of me, and no impatient digging, soul-searching, or magic lamp was going to reveal it. I saw that the answer was in all of these things, but I was too busy trying to find it to appreciate what they were trying to tell me. So I learned to be patient, I learned to breathe, and I learned to listen. It's not about finding something that is hidden, but discovering something that is right in front of you.