One of my flower beds in the garden is a sea of cosmos. Pink and white and various shades in between, the delicate daisy-like heads dancing and shimmering above waves and waves of feathery wispy frongs of green. When I returned home after 10 days, the harsh winds of the mountains had toppled them over and they lay flopped on their sides, but, their heads, nevertheless, still singing their glorious and joyous song to a deep blue autumn sky. It was heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. There was a fierce and yet playful determination about them that can only be described as inspirational abundance.
Mesmerized by their beauty and strength, I stood for awhile looking at their laughing faces. I remembered one of the post-it notes I have on my desk:
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
It was in one of the books written by Joseph Campbell and I, finding that to be inspiring and challenging in equal measures, jotted it down and now have it on my desk, along with other quotes that are pasted in and around my computer screen.
Later, under the evening sky, I wondered why that quote of all spoke to me when I looked at my brave brave cosmos. And suddenly, like awakening when the sunlight kisses the face, I knew. I knew why the dear cosmos, in their absolute splendidness were like my treasure I seek.
I had just come back from another difficult visit where again and again I had to make choices that would alter my life. I felt like being in a whirlwind of decisions, each one to be taken at the end of a road. Which way to go? Which road to take? So many roads and so many forks at the end of them. And, the more time went on, the more the roads would fork, again and again. Each leading to another destination, another possibility. And this time, I had to choose between my fear and a path of strife and conflict. I knew what the cosmos reflected.
They withstood the winds. The winds of change, perhaps. Their stems lay flat on the ground. The strong winds had flattened them. And yet, they held their head up high. And still sang and swayed and turned their joyful faces to me and the sun. And they gave so much joy, my heart almost broke in my breast.
The cave is within, and so is the treasure. It is a hero’s journey, not for the faint-hearted. But for the believer.
Believe and trust.
The path will hold the treasure.
And my treasure is walking in truth to my one purpose in life.
Joseph Campbell also said:
Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.
And I will.