Listening to the beat of the drum, the beat of my heart, I found myself opening a large wooden door in a tree. Entering the darkness, I walked down the glistening stone steps, going deep, deep down. Into the earth, into an underground cavern.
The shadowy figure by the river beckoned me to enter a red canoe. Sitting in the canoe, it moved on its own. Taking me down the river with rocks on either side. Looking up, I saw Turquoise Changing Woman and Owl flying around, both with wonderful multicolored wings. The drum was beating.
A beautiful black panther was leaping from one side of the river bank to the other. Suddenly he jumped into the canoe with me. I stroked his silky, shining black coat. I cuddled this ferocious, exotic cat. Then he scratched my upper arm leaving three large red marks. Sitting back, he stared at me with his big yellow eyes.
The drum beat quickened, it was time to return. I got out of the canoe, made my way up the steps and back out the door into the upper world. I was in a sunny meadow and saw a porcupine meandering around.
Later that day I received the heart breaking news that my brother Phillip had passed away. (May 1st, 2021)
