Ledge in the Cliff

Most of the thoughts that become content of my blog come to my mind at various points during the day. I carry them around like cash in the pocket, or like precious jewels in a leather pouch, then write them down late at night, after the dinner is served and bills are paid.  But some thoughts, that are very special, pop up during morning davening (prayer), when after expressing my trivial needs I pause and let the voice on the other side of the curtain speak to me. Sometimes I don't say anything, just pause and listen. 

The allegory that made this particular essay emerged this way on Wednesday morning, before a long conference meeting at work, during which it was typed between agenda items.

The side effect of such activity is that it leaves me rather exhausted, vulnerable and slightly light-headed, and I apologize for any impulsive actions I've done in such intoxicated state, and for any distress or discomfort this caused.  I hope that at the end of my life it won’t diminish the value of the words I write, because these words don’t come from me. 

Love is a ledge in the steep cliff of ascent. You are climbing up, higher and higher, and the cliff gets steeper and smoother, and you are afraid to look down, to slide into mindless oblivion, and suddenly you see a ledge, a comfortable wide step covered in lush grass and pretty flowers, or a tiny slippery indent you can hardly fit your hand in and hang suspended in the air.  You are afraid to let go of that ledge and climb higher, because the cliff above you is vertical and smooth and you have no idea how to keep going up that shiny smoothness, and you are so afraid to fall down, to loose your inspiration, your spark, fall into mindlessness of mundane, the life of a slave, you don't want to be buried in the daily grind where the only salvation is the imagination or addiction and it's all a constant struggle for survival.  You feel so high when you are on that ledge, you are on top of the world, you feel so strong, full of energy, you don't get tired even a bit - because you are not climbing.
Keep climbing.  Even when your arms are hurting, when you are exhausted and thirsty and almost ready to give up - you have it in you, the strength of the core, the magnetic power in your limbs that keeps your on that rock.  You'll be tired, and you will keep looking down on that ledge, on many small and big ledges covered in flowers, whimsically, with yearning, a pinch in the heart or a lump in the throat - go back to climbing, keep looking up, and suddenly your arms will spread into the wings and you'll be flying.