The Divine Within

Alejandro Rodríguez

Once, 

we had unfettered access. 

There was no separation. 

No distance. 

At any time, 

we could breathe 

the power of connection. 

Of knowing

that the “more than us” 

was also in us. 

We were safe. 

Secure. 

Home. 

Then. 

Over time. 

The connection faded. 

We didn’t notice at first. 

Tears blurred our vision. 

Calluses deadened our touch. 

The memories waned

and our bodies forgot. 

Our hearts hardened. 

Our minds drifted

to less important matters.

A patina frosted over

the warm, comforting glow.

The once rich luster,

dulled. 

Scars grew over

that sacred space. 

Indifference bred apathy

which bred hate. 

Even self loathing. 

Our sense of true self

was lost. 

Almost. 

One day,

a hand 

rested on our shoulder. 

An unexpected 

act of kindness. 

A gaze 

that touched something 

so deep,

we remembered. 

We remembered.

It was so fleeting

and yet so natural. 

So familiar. 

We were curious. 

And uncertain. 

And so,

a new adventure began. 

We chipped away at the scars. 

The gunk. 

The plaque. 

It was scary

at first. 

It was messy. 

What would we reveal?

It was buried 

so deep.

We hadn’t been there

in so long.

Foreign yet familiar. 

But something beautiful happened

as we chipped away the plaque. 

More of the Divine in us 

revealed. 

The Divine was not 

some distant thing.

The Divine was not

untouchable.

As more was revealed, 

more of us was revealed.

The mask slipped away.

Our truth

became known.

To us 

and to others.

And it was beautiful.

A geode cracked open.

Even in the solitude 

of the inner work,

we knew we were not alone.

The journey became less daunting.

Less certain and yet more welcome.

No longer did we need to fear

what we would reveal

as we chipped away.

We were becoming free.

Healed.

Whole.

We were on our way home.