I have never seen myself as a warrior or a hero
But I am feeling an excitement within
To step into a unique field of battle
Not to face fear of tomorrow’s unknowns
But to confront the shadows already within
There is a sword I’m being asked to wield
And a dark cave in the West I’m told to enter
With many shaded beasts I must confront
With the names of Remorse and Depression
And Regret and Grief and Failure and Guilt,
All bickering in the damp and cold shadows.
I can hear them all chaotically arguing
Like each is claiming to be darkest of the group.
But I hear other voices within the mayhem
And I recognize them as the more benign
With the names of Retrospection and Respect
And Ancestor and Teacher and Guide
And I realize that I will not fight the battle alone
But with true allies standing beside me
Like Owl and Snake and Bear
And I hear them say that this battle
Won’t all be fought with a sword of blood
But with a sword of transmutation and light,
A sword of alchemy
Changing the dark pain into shining lessons
And into profound and necessary memory
That will rebalance and heal the soul.
This is my journey
— Nate Long “Owl”