Chapter 1 - Part 5 - The Gated Entrance

The spirit assisted me and we pulled back the ivy, similar to drawing open curtains. The curtain of ivy gracefully pulled back to reveal large ornate gates framed in by a massive stone arch in the wall. I eagerly went to open them, but was alarmed to find them tightly locked. I stood there puzzled and the Spirit communicated to me, “You are the only one who knows where the key is. Look deep within for it.” I wanted so badly to be inside this gate and to discover what was behind this great wall. I had never desired anything more in my life then to be on the other side of this wall. I felt completely at a loss of where to start looking for the key and the discouragement quickly crept into my heart. I felt like this, the thing that I most desired, laid only feet away but here I stood blocked from receiving that which I so knew I needed. Just when the discouragement felt like it would overwhelm me, I had a thought of pure light. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that there in the leaves just inside the gate lay the old rusty key. I reached through the gate but fell just short of reaching the key. I desired the key so, so badly it hurt and I felt another wave of desperation and panic at the thought of not being able to get inside these great gates. I madly grabbed a stick and used it to rake at the earth beyond the gate and after a brief struggle I obtained the key I so desired and dragged it into my reach. I quickly inserted the old key into the rusty lock. It was hard to turn but after a little jiggling and twisting the lock turned with a great creak. The latch opened and the great gates began to slowly fell open with deep, aching groans. Since the gates were set inside an arch in the tall brick wall, I couldn’t see in yet for on the other side of the gates hung the same overgrowth of ivy that had blocked the gates on the previous side. The spirit and I each grabbed some vines and we parted them. The view that I saw as that ivy parted changed my life forever. Tears overpowered me as I gazed through the ivy curtain because I knew instantly the place that I saw on the other side of the great wall. I knew this place well and the Spirit placed its arm around my shoulder and let me savor this tender moment of reunion. I knew this place for I had built this place, an exquisite garden, The Garden of my Heart!