a woman is waiting in the rain for a bus stop. she is happy.

this is all i could see, but it is all that i needed. after months that turned my wondering into questioning into a nervous anxiety, this is what i needed.

it was 2 weeks ago that i packed my backpack and put my hiking boots on. i had walked through deserted mountain paths with only the faint yellow markings to guide me. the weather had been rough on me, with more than a few outpourings of rain.

but it had all been worth it. there on a secluded summit was the old temple. it was not as populated as it had been with only three elderly monks to greet me. they welcomed me so warmly and guided me to my room where i slept until the middle of the morning. i then came to them, and i ceremoniously presented my gift to them. they nodded in silence and accepted it.

the youngest of the three stood up and motioned to me to follow. we entered a large hall, with many curtains. i trembled, knowing that my knowing was near. i washed my hands and feet in the basin by the door, and then we slowly moved through the curtains. she pulled the final curtain away, and there it was. the gem of knowing was glowing with its own light.

she looked at me with an expectant and understanding smile. "look into it, it knows already what you desire".

on my journey through the mountains i had been wondering what i would see. would it be in tense boardrooms at the top of corporate power? would it be some prestigious university where the remaining unknowns of the universe would be researched? would it be at an art gallery opening, showcasing the best of creativity and an unrelenting drive? none of these images satisfied me.

but when i looked into the large gem, and the glowing turned away, and the rain started falling on the roof of the bus stop, and in the bus stop a woman, waiting, yet peacefully happy, then i knew all was going to be ok.

i thanked the woman for her guidance, walked outside to get some reception, and i called my pregnant wife.