The Quiet Place

There is a quiet place within like an oasis in the deserts of the soul; like a cabin in the mountains or a solitary cottage by the ocean, like a clean, fresh forest.
In this place the smoke of this world is gently cleared away by the breath of the Holy Spirit, and lucidity arises like the dawning of the sun, shining brighter and brighter.
In this ever-new clarity, the meanings of the words "peace, freedom, abundant life, joy and love" are experienced as palpable, inner reality. Those words--the reality of them--are like colors in the rainbow, but in this place they are experienced holistically, like white Light.
Here all the secret, hidden, known or unknown desires of the soul are fulfilled. Here we merge with the God of this universe, or rather discover at a deepening level of the soul, our perpetual at-one-ment with Him/Her. Jesus is experienced here as our Friend. His Grace covers all our continuing character flaws--obliterates them like light obliterates darkness.  We may or may not experience ecstacy, and we continue to be imperfect human beings with character defects, and we continue to have the tribulations that Jesus plainly told us we would have; but it does not matter! We know  that everything is exactly perfect! The universe is in the domain of its God Who is Love. The darkness is being allowed because of All-Powerful  Love.  We embrace and are embraced by Eternal Life.  We are, even now, in Eternity; at one with Eternity and the Universe, through Christ in us and in God. Now we proceed in peaceful Love, Compassion, Kindness, Strength and Truth. And even though we cannot remain in this Lucidity, as the disciples could not remain on the Mount of Transfiguration, we have the unshakable foundation of this Truth underneath us as we walk through all of life's dark valleys and challenges. We ongoingly experience foretastes of the Heaven that lies ahead and that secretly embraces, permeates and transcends all of life; the Light that shines secretly and peacefully in the heart, even when it cannot be seen with the eyes.