Schmid, M.A. (2012). The Purple Thread. (pp. 19-21)
…You could hear Koura’s voice had a smile on when she said that. Slowly opening one eye and then the other Anna focused in on what was surrounding her in that moment. Anna took a deep breath, looked at Koura and said I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Koura. Wow, was all she could say. They both stood in silence, muscles almost frozen from the sheer beauty of what they were looking at. Their minds were trying to make sense of what the reality of the scene surrounding them was. This moment was definitely one that required faith and trust that just because you can’t see everything, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Koura was standing to the right of Anna and as she looked to her right she could see some type of insect and faint sound of a humming or buzzing noise. She watched as it got closer to her and she could start to see the markings and resemblance of a familiar shape she was used to watching. She loved to sit with her feathered friends to just watch and observe their aerial acrobat that was beautiful. How fitting that a little hummingbird shimmering with emerald green wings, a bright yellow underbelly and a ruby scarf of feathers wrapped around her neck approached her. The hummingbird approached as slow as one could and with gentle and purposeful rapid flaps of her wings flew straight in front of Anna’s eyes, hovered for a few seconds as if to let her know it was alright. Anna trusted her presence and as the Hummingbird turned to face the new skyline towards the unknown of the buildings in front of them, Anna felt safe and compelled to follow her. They followed the hummingbird with slow steps and watched her as her brilliant colors seemed to shimmer like diamonds bathing in the moonlight in her graceful flight. There was no fear, only anticipation with each step closer to what was an outline and now the details were coming in to view. Looking down at the ground Anna could see that the grass, even though it was nighttime had a warm whitish glow that seemed to be coming from beneath as though it was lighting the way for them. It reminded her of the automatic freezer lights at the grocery store where they would turn on as you walk by to save energy. She laughed out loud from that internal thought. You having a good time now, Honey? Koura asked. I’m sure the laughter prompted that question. It is such a strange sensation Koura. I feel very comforted and only a little twinge of fear. How about you? Oh yes, I am feeling very comforted as well. She looked at me and gave me the half upturned smile like she was up to something. I knew that look and I just shook my head and smiled. Our steps brought us now to a gate and above the gate hung what resembled an old ranch sign that would hang over the drive up to the ranch house. It was hand crafted and I recognized the same craftsmanship that was on the arch that they had walked through to get here. About fifty feet in front of the sign she could see a stone built two story structure that looked more like a castle that she had always dreamed of visiting in the black forest. That alone was enough to make her want to run up to the front door but she was still a little cautious. Anna took a slow look around from left to right and did not see anything else in the distance around them and she was relieved to have come to what appeared to be a stopping point. She was kind of hungry and thirsty from all of the excitement and was ready to rest her feet. Koura had been quiet this whole time as though she was observing Anna’s movements and expressions. As a parent does with a child when they are exploring and having an adventure to see the wonder and awe in through their child’s eyes. This time there was no question from Anna to Koura if she thought it was safe. Koura could see the confidence in Anna’s stance as she stared towards the front door of this enchanting yet somewhat cold outside of a stone gray house. She could feel her want to face the unknown of what might be on the other side of that door. The shift in her being was taking place from the time in the meadow of hesitation and fear with the Oak to one of embracing and flowing with the changes that lay ahead of her. One step confidently, but slowly in front of the other she made her way towards the dark brown distressed wood of the front door. She could feel the separation of the uneven cobblestones under her feet as she made her way to the end of the path. She stopped just before the three steps that led up to the porch that wrapped around the front of the house. She knew stepping up those steps to the entrance to the door would be like stepping through another gateway in her heart. She looked back at Koura who was still standing at the opposite end of the path. She didn’t walk with her and this didn’t bother Anna at all and only for a split second did she wonder why. Koura gave her a slow nod of her head, down then up. No smile or emotion was showing on Koura’s face. Just a confident stare that Anna could feel inside her being that it was time. Anna turned backed to the stairs leading to the entrance and felt the strength inside of her and nothing was going to hold her back from continuing up these stairs to find out where this door would lead. This was it. Peeling back the layer of fear and doubt like an onion to see where the next step or steps would take her. She could feel tingling sensations throughout her body but it was different this time. It wasn’t the tingling of fear or doubt but instead the anticipation of stepping into the unknown to grab onto the goodness that she now had a glimpse of that she could feel coming back to life inside of her. She could connect the existence of her heart beating again to the rhythmic sound of the anticipation of joy and love instead of fear and doubt. And she liked the way these tingles felt. This was it. Let’s go Anna and with that thought she made her way up the three steps, reached up to grab hold of the black, steel forged ladybug door knocker that adorned the wooden door and as they looked eye to eye, with her hand clutched tight around the iron circle, she knocked slowly 3 times. She knew she was strong enough to make it through whatever was behind that door. She could feel it in her being…
