We are deceived by horizons,
Which appear to us as an end,
But always keep the same distance
The closer we try to get.
And over this horizon we may see
Many other ships disappear,
But to our own horizon
Our own ship cannot go near.

So in our vain attempts
To see beyond that deceptive end,
The height of the mast of our
Little ship we then transcend,
Only to leave us more perplexed
When inevitably we find
The distance not nearer, but greater
To that all deceiving line.

So higher up and higher,
Higher still we go,
Until the whole of our ocean
We see unfold below.
And in its midst still traveling,
Our little ship is there,
But now seeing the whole globe of Earth,
Little for our ship do we care.

So higher still and higher,
Higher yet as we pass,
‘Till the whole of our solar system
Our sight may then encompass.
Higher yet still higher,
Higher till we may see,
Below and around us in glory,
A sea of galaxies.

Suddenly a fear does take us
As we realize and now know,
The insignificance of our little ship
Within its horizons so far below.
The awe and fear then takes us
Back down to our ship on the sea,
And knowing the vastness that lies beyond,
With our horizons we’re content to be.

It hurts us not to be aware
That far more unseen lies beyond;
And charts were made by those who’ve been
Before us, to keep us from going wrong.
But knowledge too far beyond ourselves
Can hinder us by making us lose all sight
Of the situation at hand, and navigation
Needed to sail our ship from its present plight.

* * *

We are deceived by a death
Which appears to us as an end
But seems to keep the same distance
The closer we seem to get.
And over this death we may see
Many other people disappear,
But to our own death
Our own self cannot get near.

So in our vain attempts
To see beyond that deceptive end
The height of our thinking
In this body we then transcend.
Only to leave us more perplexed
When inevitably we find
The distance not nearer, but greater,
To that all deceiving time.

So higher in thinking and higher
Above bodily thought we go,
Until the whole of our process of life
We see unfold below.
And in its midst still traveling
Our little body still is there.
But seeing the whole of the process of time
Little for our body we care.

So higher still and higher,
Higher consciousness as we pass,
‘Till all of the planes of existence,
Our vision may then encompass.
Higher yet, still higher,
Higher ’till we may be
All of existence all around us
Throughout this eternity.

Suddenly a fear does take us,
As we realize and now know,
The insignificance of our little body
Within its short life so far below.
The awe and fear then takes us,
Back down to material body.
And knowing the vastness that lies beyond
With this life we’re content to be.

It hurts us not to be aware
That far more unseen lies beyond,
And plans were made by those who’ve been
Before us, to keep us from going wrong.
But knowledge too far beyond ourselves
Can hinder us by making us lose all sight,
Of the life at hand, and nevigation needed
To take our spirit out of its present plight.

There is a turning
Point in life
Where values change,
A time when one’s
Priorities are rearranged,
New goals are set in
The light of new
Knowledge gained.
Old ways are passed
And left behind.
(But always remain,
As conscious, and
Unconscious memory.)

Material goals and
Desires may be
Realized immediately,
But the ones that make
More sense, and have
More intrinsic long-term
Meaning, cannot be
Realized before, from this
Plane of life we are freed.
And until death
It may not be known
What in life we should
Be doing.

Surmise we can, though,
And change our path,
Attempting to decide where
Our future lies:
But whatever’s done now
Shall be answered for
In another time, as the
Things about us are
Seeds long ago sown.

This turning point in
Life; a time of contemplation,
A weighing of many
Alternatives, and projection
Of many more hopes;
Hopes as yet unrealized,
And hopes, controlled by
Desires we may or may not
Understand.

I am now at that strange
Period, that pondering time:
The turning point in life,
And have been for
Twenty-two years.