You want a purpose in life. But what that is eludes you.

 

Who can you turn to for help? You are ready to give up, when you hear from . . .

 

 

The Voice From Within

 

“Yes,

I’m talking to you.

What?

I can’t be?

Why not?”

 

I just ignored

the patter

coming from within.

The trees blew

in the wind,

as I sat

on the recliner

in the backyard.

 

I gazed

at the pad

I held

in my hand

and jotted down notes

about my existence.

 

“Do you hear me?

You don’t want to?

For heaven’s sake,

why not?”

 

I hadn’t

accomplished anything

in life.

My world

was bleak.

I didn’t know

what to do.

 

Maybe I should

just end it.

Nobody

would care.

 

“Listen to me.

You’re going

in the wrong direction.

Don’t tell me

you’ve already

made up your mind.

You don’t have the right

to do that,

without asking me.”

 

I shook

my head,

trying to make

the gibberish

disappear.

It was my decision

to make,

and I had

to make it alone.

It would be

the one and only

accomplishment

I could list

on the page

in my book

of life.

 

“Don’t you dare

tell me,

goodbye.

It’s too soon.

You’re way too young.

Your future

is beckoning you

to take control.

Why won’t you listen?”

 

I shrugged

my shoulders.

I didn’t need

to fight

for a life

that wasn’t meant

to be.

I’m a loser.

Nobody’s

going to miss me.

Nobody.

 

“You’re wrong.

Don’t . . .”

 

The kitchen

screen door

rattled,

drawing

my attention

away

from the debate

I shouldn’t

have been having.

 

Melrose,

my sixty pound,

Australian Shepard,

bounded

toward me

and planted

the biggest

slobbering kiss

across my face.

 

I wiped

the drool off

and looked

at my watch.

“Yup,

it’s dinnertime,”

I muttered.

 

I stared

at Melrose,

who gave me

the neediest look

I’d ever seen.

 

The bright sun

behind him

painted a halo

around my “angel”

and warmed

my heart—

the one

wonderful reason

for my existence. 

 

 

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