One quiet fall morning a young girl came upon a wide joining of two streams in the meadow. She saw a beautiful swan on the far side - "come join me" said the swan to the young girl - "but how? I cant . . .I cannot get over there"
"All you have to do is close your eyes and wish" . . . so she did, she closed her eyes and wished "I wish to be on the other side".
She slowly opened her eyes, only to discover she was still there, where she started.
"I cannot" . . . "You must try harder" - so once again she closed her eyes, she concentrated "I wish, I wish . . . To be on the other side!"
Again, upon opening her eyes . . . She was still there.
"If you could come over to my side we could play all day and have the greatest of fun", pleaded the swan.
"I cannot do it!. . . I have tried and tried!" She sat in the tall grass and began to weep.
"The water is too deep and the distance too far!"
"You CAN do it, I promise you"
The stream hurried about its business of tattling and tossing - as streams do - and the morning began to agree with the afternoon.
"Please try one more time little one, please?"
The swan asked with lament and sorrow
"You can do it, I know you can"
"Why cant you come to me!?" Asked the girl back - beginning to get a bit angry at it all.
"Swans are not permitted on that side, . . . I thought you knew"
She contemplated this . . .
"Why not?" . . .
The swan looked down at its reflection and did not respond for a long while.
"Because", it finally said softly . . . "Once you cross you can never go back"
The young girl looked towards her home, and back again at the swan . . .
"Never?" She asked, confused
"Never" replied the swan,"but it is much, much better over here"
She looked away, in deep contemplation now
The sun was getting tired . . .
She looked back again at her home - it seemed farther away somehow, and had begun to crumble over the autumn hills.
"Please little one, it is time - try again - I believe in you!"
She stood and fixed herself, pleats and bows just so - and closed her eyes . . .
"Thats it! Come on, you can do it!"
"I wish . . . . I wish . . .
She began, with all her might
"To be . . . ."
The stream stopped
"On . . ."
The heavens looked down
"The . . . "
The earth stood silent
She let go . . . .completely . . . With everything she had
". . . . Other side!"
~ the beginning
