27 Socks and Shoes

The Little Red Haired Girl

27 Socks and Shoes

“Right” said Brain trying to take charge of the situation, “You are well ‘rested’ now Body so what are you going to do to get us out of this horrible place? And soon before we go completely insane or die in this dark damp Pumphouse miles from anywhere”

“I don’t know, its still dark in here and although I have had some sleep, I am in great pain and numb with cold, and it really would help if I could see what I was doing.”

“More excuses Body, I am fed up of them.”
“Hang on” sighed Soul “its not just Body that needs to be ready and willing, what about me?”
“Yes, what about you?”

“Well I feel unwilling to leave because I work with Heart and Spirit. And at the moment Heart is broken and cannot face the outside world.”

“Oh here we go” mocked Brain “what a load of rubbish. For Gods sake get a grip on life and lets do something to get us out of here. I think I would be better off in a different body that functions properly. A body who’s Soul isn’t pathetic, one who’s Heart isn’t broken or who’s Spirit isn’t crushed and ‘left the building.'”

“We can do that if you want” sighed Soul “but you will only have to face the same issues in the next life. Until we learn.”

“What are you saying!” exclaimed Body “Are you suggesting kill ourselves?”

“Its an option” sighed Soul “coz I am tired of being uninspired and Spirit is weighted and crushed. Brain is fed up too!”
“No” said Body adamantly “I won’t do it. I made a promise to my family last time Brain came up with this idea. The idiot.”
“I object to that remark” it huffed.

“The point is” sighed Soul “It’s an option if we want to not a suggestion. But I can’t keep going on like this. Something has to change and I miss Heart and Spirit. We usually work together to share the load and I am so very tired.”
“Me too” agreed Body.
“Then we need to get Heart and Spirit back and fixed quickly or we will all die in here in this Pumphouse. If it weren’t for that idiot Noswad…”
“Shut up Brain” they, Body and Soul shouted.

Soul sighed, Body ached and Brain was having a meltdown. There was a silence that hung in the dark.

Brain eventually spoke “Well the therapy you are doing seems to be helping the Little Red Haired Girl, look how well she sleeps.” They did and she was.

“I am still here “called Spirit “but its hard to fight. I have been fighting for years and I am tired too! But that Nana keeps telling me “you going to let them win?” “where is your courage?” and “where’s the girl I used to know?” She gives me no rest. But I am still here buried underneath the weight of all the battles I have won and lost before. Nana helps me to keep going as do all our spiritual ancestors.”

“Oh here we go again” Brain mocked and Body rolled eyes to the heavens.
“Its true” Soul sighed “they watch over all of us, speak to us to guide us, if we let them.”
“Strange that” puzzled Brain “coz I’ve never heard them before until we got stuck in here? And Body would ‘hear’ them them if they existed? So why now?”

“Its not just factual Brain” Soul wearily replied “sometimes their voices or appearance come disguised as thought or dreams beyond your control.”
“Impossible, nothing gets past me” Brain was very proud and kind of stupid at times.

Soul continued ” Sometimes only in times of despair do they appear. Sometimes in times of great joy too! Sometimes they only speak or appear if we are open to them. They are here to help us. Some people call it intuition, or a gut feeling, some call it their ‘higher self’.

“Or their own Spirit” Spirit chimed in “You know, when our determination over rides logic, or ‘going for it’ when they tell you it can’t be done.”

“No wonder I can’t work with you guys, I must be trapped in the wrong Body. It’s hopeless.”
“That’s negative thinking” Body reminded Brain “and it certainly doesn’t help my wellbeing.”
“O.K. O.K. I remember the therapy I ain’t stupid” stuttered Brain ashamed of itself.

“How can we mend Heart then?” Body asked.
“With therapy” Brain stated.
“That helps” sighed Soul “but more than anything it just takes time.”
“And guidance” blurted Spirit.
“And Love” the Little Red Haired Girl muttered in her half dreamlike state which surprised them all. “I have to love myself coz Nana told me so”.

They all silenced.

“Yes I did” Nana said “you have to put on your own socks and shoes, find your own happiness by yourself with your dolls and prams, Mummy’s heels, whatever makes you happy first, especially when Mummy’s busy.”
A tiny voice that came from Heart as it turned painfully in Bodies chest said “I will.”

“That’s my girl” said Spirit and Nana combined.
“Oh for Gods sake!” exclaimed Brain.
“It is” said the unfamiliar now familiar voice.