72 A Spade is a Spade

The Little Red Haired Girl

In the quietness and dark of the Pumphouse, Soul was reliving different pathways of the past. Quietly. Considering on each path who they had met, who or what had enabled a junction or caused a different direction to be taken, what decisions had they made, and why.
Why was always the most difficult question for Soul to consider because it implies we have control. Why was that done? Why did you or I react that way? Why was a table in the French language female? Sometimes it just is. Sometimes things are beyond anyone’s control.

Brain would argue that ‘why’ answers could be found with education and experience and to a greater extent this was true.
Heart would argue that ‘why’ answers could be found with tolerance, understanding and compassion or empathy. Soul agreed with this too.

Spirit would argue that ‘why’ answers could be found through creativity, imagination and inspiration, even intuition albeit the answers may be hidden from view to the naked eye. This also was true Soul decided.

Body would bear the brunt of ‘why’ answers through pleasure or pain, health and illness, peace or war.

Soul decided that ‘why’ answers were more difficult for itself to answer. Why did I take that path? Why did I meet that person? Why did I go there in the first place? Why did we put ourselves in that position?

By catching the same bus. By turning a particular corner at a particular time. Because I felt like it and went to the park instead. It could be pure chance, it could be a change of mind and a conscious choice. How would Soul reconcile the direction of pathways it took with the outcome of a situation? It was unknown like a raindrop falling into a puddle and by doing so it has no definition. It becomes part of the puddle.
‘Why’s’ were big questions. It would take all five of them to answer them. But what was Souls own answer?
It sighed and watched Body sleep.

Some people might argue that whatever had transpired in past situations, (or indeed in their own current situation in the Pumphouse) they had a lesson to be learned from it happening, or a period of great joy to be had from it whether fleetingly or standing the test of time. That a situation in ones life was to be their purpose, some part of a great design directed from the universal creator, the most high, God or Gods above.

A broad path of transparency, honesty and kindness Soul decided was the path of least resistance to these ‘why’ questions and situations that occurred in everybody’s life. The path that displayed who you were so others could decide to join you or not based on mutual displayed vision and respect. A path that had no hidden obstacles for the walker. But how could Soul be sure of other walkers that were to join them had the same vision of transparency? That others who joined wouldn’t create obstacles, stiles or rock faces to climb, even when the landscape and its path upon it was tough enough?

“One can never be sure” called Spirit “people have their own spirits of both good and bad, their own agendas hidden behind the craggy rock face or the tall Eucalyptus trees. Hidden behind smiling faces, hidden snakes in the long grass, hidden motives. Some are pleased and happy for your progress along the path, some are indifferent or non committal, some set deliberate traps to impede your progress. One can never be sure. People may have ideas of shortcuts, easier ways to achieve their journey quicker. Some are genius ideas that bring happiness to many, some are short cuts born out of laziness or greed.”

“So the permutations are endless” sighed Soul “so how can I have direction? What is the answer to knowing one is on the right path? And even if one is sure, that does not mean it won’t change or be influenced by others?”

“We are back to what Big voice said” called Spirit and in the absence to anything else that provides a sufficient answer, we have to come to the call.”
“Of walking in hope and faith?” replied Soul.
“Do you have another answer?”
“No I don’t” agreed Soul “so that is what I must do as best I can. With as must trust as I can.”
“We will all help, and being stuck in this place has brought us all to the same conclusion.”
“Then that was the lesson and purpose of being here” sighed Soul “and we ought to thank the people that led us here.”

“Just a minute” interrupted Brain “I will not be thanking anyone for getting us stuck in this Pumphouse. Lets be fair about this. Body, Heart and I are dying, so I cannot ‘thank’ people for it, nor for such lofty ideas that the two of you have with your ‘indeterminate’ lifespan! Some of us are dying!”

“I know” sighed Soul “but positive thoughts eh? lets remember positive thoughts.”

“Positive! It’s shit in here and there is nothing positive about it at all try as I might. Let’s call a Spade a Spade!”

“I acknowledge your assessment of the situation Brain and agree. But we must keep hope that we find an escape, and in that hope, we will find our faith that everything will work out as it should even if we don’t understand at the time why it is happening.”

“I hope you are right” Brain muttered.

“There you go” sighed Soul.