Kachina's Vision: Sitting on the Train

I’ve been sitting on a train. Been here a while now, many seasons have passed.

I pass the time by looking out my window. Yes, I have a window seat. For when I arrived and boarded, there were plenty still available on my passenger car. There still are some available window seats, but they have filled up some since I came aboard. So, we pass the time, myself and my fellow travelers, by observing that which transpires on the platform.  We have seen much. Sometimes it makes us laugh, occasionally we cry. We hold hands, alot. I suppose we do this in some ways to assure one another that it is the right thing to do..just to remain on the train as we have been..and to go about filling our days as we have, even when occasionally one of us feels like jumping back down to the platform for one reason or another. No one really wants to disembark, not for any reason, for we are not exactly sure when the train departs, soon though..soon. Every now and then there is another whistle blow, or a releasing of the brakes, so everyone knows what this means. Soon..soon we will travel.

I reminisce some days on the train, about my long journey here. I remember the signs I used to see..at first they were few and far between. Then I saw them ever increasingly..the signs..yes, the many signs. Most were shaped like arrows, pointing in various directions and with words and concepts written  upon them. One sign that I saw quite often, read “Love”..another said “Patience”..a third “Compassion”..still another..”Faith”. I was curious though, and followed the signs..just had to know what they meant. Sometimes, I would see a sign and it appeared that no-one else was looking at it, so I wasn’t really sure if they had seen it and knew what it meant, or if they were just too busy to be bothered with reading signs that day. When this were the case, I would pause alone to ponder what the sign might mean.

 One day, as I approached a new set of signs, there were others standing in front of them and talking about them. I was so excited to actually see someone else not only noticing the signs, but still there talking on it. Yet all I could do at that point was listen in. For what can one say when you don’t understand the subject? So, that day, and many after, when I was fortunate enough to find one or many gathered in discussion around the signs, I would listen and learn what I could, until a day came that I felt I was ready to join the conversations. That was a great day!

As the years went by, I had many lively discussions around these signs. They became less of a mystery as time went by, for I was an eager student. I learned much from discussing the various words written, and occasionally when more than one of us was just not quite getting the meaning of a sign, we would play a form of theater, where we would take on roles to act out a scenario that would assist us in better understanding and feeling what the word/concept was. Sometimes these little plays we would choreograph, and participate in, were so much fun! Other times, ppfffttt!, not so much. Yet, we were never tired of learning and experiencing that which the signs offered.  Then there came a day, that I found I was no longer being chosen for roles in the plays, and the conversations had become old hat, nothing more to discuss, it would seem. So, I bid a fond farewell to the new players and conversationalists that had arrived, and exited these small gatherings as others before me had done.

So, off I was again, solo with all of the wonderful memories of my time spent learning to read and feel the signs. On this new journey of mine, the signs were starting to be accompanied with a whistle blowing. I would see an arrow, marked “Love”, the whistle would blow..and sure enough, the arrow was pointing in the direction of whence the whistle blow had come from! Oh..this was too exciting! My curiosity once again alive, I began to follow, the all-familiar and much loved concepts I had learned, in the direction of the summoning whistle.  When the sound of the whistle was faint, barely audible and short,  I could only travel slowly for the need to listen carefully for the next whistle tone. During these times, I was able to carry a lot of my ‘stuff’with me, quite easy then to stop and take a rest. At other points, the whistle was loud, and coming in rapid bursts. At these times, I would find my pace quickening with each tone. Over a period, the loud, rapid bursts overtook the short, faint tones..I found myself moving more and more rapidly with each step. No time to pause now, and it was exhilarating! Ah..as I was flying along following the signs and the song of the whistle that called to me, I would pass others, alone or in groups, just looking at the signs and pondering them as once, too, I had done. Since they were still playing roles and were able still to have a use for what I carried, I gifted them with many of my goods that I was starting to tire of toting with me. And, too, by this point I had started responding to the whistles with such enthusiasm, I often just “lost” things..all kinds of things..homes, cars, furnishings..LOL..all the big stuff got “lost” or gifted first. Doesn’t really matter which, I don’t really remember the how, to whom, or why any longer anyway. What I do remember is how heavy it was and how it slowed me down. I now travel Light..really, really Light..ahh..now I jump ahead! Later..that is for later.

One fine sunny day, as I heard the first whistle blow of that morning, I ran..ran so fast I believe I surely must have flew..and around the corner and up the bend, I SAW it. Golden and shining in the morning Sun, a Train! Oh, and she sang to me..for me..and I,  sang with her! For a moment, just a moment in time..I stood on her platform, and She and I..we were One. I, too, was golden and shining..and I whistled with her, for anyone that could hear. I allowed my eyes to rise up and behold her beautiful, glorious form. Then I noticed there resided upon her a plaque that said, “Welcome to the Love Train, we are All so pleased You followed our signs and heard our Song, Enjoy your Travel with US.” Oh, yes, I fully intended to! As I joyfully  boarded the passenger car that felt like mine, I never paused to think the destination was still unknown, didn’t matter. As it is said, “I love what comes..and I love what goes”..and somehow, I knew, just knew..I had loved "all that was going" all that I could, and already was loving "what was coming ahead".  And, that, is the story of how I came to be on this train…

Now, back to now. Here I sit, looking out my window. Holding my hand is a lovely woman. She has offered to keep me company, as the feeling of wanting to dis-embark into the fray on the platform, has arisen in me once again. This Sister of mine, has held my hand before..many times, and I have held hers for the same reasons. So, we sit together, and we observe..and I think of all we have seen. This, I shall continue to share with whomever may be interested in seeing through my eyes..through my heart..yes, more shall be coming forth on the meaning of this Train..of those that are on-board, those that are still upon the platform, and those of which shall not choose this Train, but are awaiting another departure date.

Thank you, for sharing..this part of my journey..

Much Love, Kachina