drawn inward

It was a very solemn quietude,
the deepest of sleeps,
and one which afforded my inmost being
a degree of comfort I had never before experienced.

And in that most lucid dream state,
my mind was set adrift in an upward spiral of reflection.
A sort of transcending, winding staircase in the clouds.

Evidently, the core of my being was so far removed
from who I used to be - I didn’t recognize myself.

It was like being drawn inward,
but through a different person.

I thought to myself ... Drawn inward... a palindrome.
And as things are being drawn inward,
are they not also being drawn out?

But what kind of mirror is it that allows a man
to see through his own transparency?

Being somewhat indelibly touched
without fingerprints,
I became oblivious to those beliefs
I once cherished as sacrosanct.

I let it all go and with that letting go
went a lot of ought-to’s,
a pile of should-have’s,
a heap of what-if’s and
if-only’s and many self doubts.
I quickly learned - IF is the middle word in life!

The depth of tranquility that engulfed me
transported me far above and beyond
any imagined grievance,
and dissolved all negativity into insignificance.

And in that moment,
a deep-seated realization was taking shape;
awakening - but not yet crystal clear.

The eye of this mind storm was calm,
but every thought still turned over
like polished stones in a tumbler.

The fog was lifting as the eye
of circumspection was finding its clarity.

Deep down,
do we not all want creature comforts,
strive for improvement,
seek the truth, want peace and happiness?

Another question arises
from under the cerebral surface - and that is -
how far must one travel
outside and away from oneself
to find that which is already drawn inward?