A little Rainbow Story by Sandi

Madeline slowly closed her eyes, thinking she would just rest for a few minutes.

Sometimes the dream came totally unbidden. She would hardly have time to slip into that nether region, a place that we all escape to so willingly. The funny thing was she felt she could almost will herself to not have the dream. However,  at the last moment of consciousness she could feel herself slipping right into it. It was useless to fight, she let herself slide.

The dream always started the same, she was young, in her prime. A  feisty red haired beauty with a bit of a fiery temper. She was dressed in a pretty white cotton shift that showed her figure very well, she was carrying red tulips across her arms. Then, moving as if in dance, Madeline dropped the red tulips one by one to the ground.

Madeline found herself standing by a beautiful lake, surrounded by a dark verdant forest. She could hear the birds singing, and an owl hooting somewhere nearby. As she stood stock still a baby deer came out of the woods to drink at the lake. She did not want to move to break the enchantment of the moment, it seemed too precious to lose.

An enchanted white dove landed at her feet. Upon touching the ground it started to change shape, bending, flowing, growing into the shape of a twisted old man. He was dressed in white, long robes and he had a fully bearded face. It was remarkable that she did not feel frightened at all. In fact, she felt more at peace than at any time in her life. She wondered why and said so.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my dream?" Madeline asked.

The old man looked up at her and said, "Madeline, I am all things to all people but mostly I bring peace to those who need it".

Madeline felt a tear roll down her cheek, unbidden. These past few months she had held herself in check, not allowing herself to grieve for the sudden loss of her parents. The memory of the night they died in that terrible auto accident was still much too painful to think of.

"You can bring me peace? How? I lost my world." Madeline answered.

"No, my dear, they are here. Just open your mind and heart, they will enter your dreams and bring you peace. They knew you so well, that nature would be your refuge so that is where they seek you in your dream state." said the old sage.



She realized right then that this was what was missingfrom her life, the magic of nature. It could heal her, make her feel alive again. Her parents would always be with her, never out of memory, a forevermore feeling.

As Madeline started to thank the old man, his shape started to shift again into the lovely white bird, with that he flew off over the shining lake.

As she stared out over the lake a sparkling rainbow appeared across the length of the lake with one end stopping just at her feet. Looking down she saw a glistening crystal, which she happily picked up. Peering into the crystal Madeline could see a rainbow, trapped forever within the gleaming quartz.

Madeline awoke with a start, she had not meant to fall asleep by the lake, something had lulled her to sleep. She remembered her dream, this time completely. Somehow she felt refreshed, renewed for the first time in months. Something caught her eye's attention as she glanced farther down by the lake. Madeline started walking towards the water, zeroing in on the object that she sought.

"Oh, my word", she said as she reached down and picked up the shining object. She clutched it to her heart and started to cry. It was the rainbow crystal, the one from her dream. She knew, at that point, that the healing would begin.