My Yellow Brick Road Less Traveled

I feel a bit like Dorothy and her 3 (there's that number again!) evolutionary partners on the way back to Oz to present the Wizard her trophies of success so she can finally go home.

Here I am, nine months after the start of Mastery, consciously choosing to reflect on my journey on my own yellow brick road less traveled. My Metaphor, My Muse, My Magician (or as I like to refer to them, my M3s), and I have encountered what has felt like obstacle after obstacle, challenge after challenge, and (thankfully) miracle after miracle.

However, despite the fact that the end of this part of my Mastery journey was coming into view and despite the fact that I could feel the radiance, the allure, and the warmth of that Emerald City on my face, much like Dorothy on her journey, I couldn’t take another step. After my last post five days ago, the physical and emotional toll of this road took hold of me. The sweet fragrance of the poppy field called to me; its flowers offered me shelter, comfort and safety. I stepped off the road and collapsed into sleep.

I recalled a dream I had some 30 years ago. I was driving an old VW van circa 1969. I was very serious and very focused on getting where I was supposed to be. I was feeling a tremendous urgency and, therefore, driving extremely fast (especially for a VW in those days). The scenery was whizzing by. All I knew was I had to be “there” (wherever “there” was), and I had to be "there" 10 minutes ago. Suddenly 30 feet or so in front of me, a train safety gate dropped out of nowhere and landed across the road blocking my passage. On the gate was a huge, red, octagonal shaped sign. Across the sign, in very VERY large letters, was written “STOP!!”

AARRGGHH! I can't tell you how much being stopped really pisses me off, especially when I'm on a roll, but since I didn't have much choice in the matter, I got out to see what was going on. I looked around to see why this obstacle had been put across my road.

Nothing was there...well, not exactly nothing.

There were open fields on either side of the road as far as my eyes could see. In these fields grew the most beautiful array of flowers I had ever seen. Their aroma filled me with something akin to grace. In that holy instant, I realized that these last 9 months have shown me that I am always making a choice. I can choose to barrel down the roads that lead away from the Emerald City and let the scenery, the beauty, and the grace of life whiz past my head on the way to…where??? Or I can choose to walk, savor, and deepen into what I have learned on my yellow brick road less traveled.

This morning, I awoke more peaceful than I can ever remember, expressed my gratitude to those giving flowers who helped me awaken to my life, and consciously made that step back onto my yellow brick road less traveled with my M3s.

I am thrilled that I’m not feeling the tug of acceleration to reach my destination. Instead, I feel the vibrancy of color around me, the exchange of reciprocity in every breath, the remembrance of the soft touch of flower petals on my cheeks, and, for some strange reason, the taste of warm fudge-y brownies topped with coffee ice cream (accompanied by a very cold glass of milk).

For once in my life, I am in no hurry. I intend to relish each step on my road while the sun adjusts itself to my exact body temperature, and the faint sounds of the City, as it prepares for my celebratory arrival, greet my ears.

I am suspended in that weird place I find myself in at the end of a great book: looking forward to finishing the last chapter, wondering what will happen in the sequel and resisting saying goodbye to those characters who do not continue in the story.

And I finally understand what Dorothy learned (and what Cheryl tried to teach me 27 years ago). Home…there is no place like it. It is just a click of my heels away.

And it is best reached arm-in-arm with those I love, singing and skipping towards all the wonder of The Emerald City (and beyond) on my own yellow brick road less traveled.