I MUST GO TO A PLACE FAR AWAY

AND SWING ON A SWING IN A LAND OF BEAUTY

"One of my favorite things to do is swing." I smiled at Marlin. He just looked at me, neither writing nor nodding. Simply waiting.

Swinging and rocking have always been so soothing to me. It is difficult to explain, but these are like wrapping a cloak of invisibility around me so that I can be me, without anybody hurting me. If a swing was a magic ring, I would "poof" disappear in front of someone's eyes. How lovely that would be for a little girl lost.

I knew Marlin was patiently waiting for me, watching me to see which direction I would go. I had just told him I thought it was a good thing that Bud had been killed in prison. Was that wrong? Isn't it a good thing to kill a monster? All the horrid things that go bump in the night? Yeah. It had to be done. I never could have done it, myself, but he finally met his match in evilness.

Enter my enchanted land. Hello. My land of flowers, trees, birds, animals, lakes, waterfalls.. and peace. A place to run and play all day, to sit among butterflies. To make necklaces of daisies. To sing with the birds. To pet and stroke all the animals. There are no other people there, just me. And my swing. It's My favorite place to go and daydream myself over and around those things in my life that caused me such pain. And here I was again. Lovely. 

Welcome. Welcome home.

Once, Aunt Peg took me with her to visit a relative in Hart, Michigan. The home was a white cottage type, little house, with a beautiful garden. In the middle of that garden was a white glider swing, with flowers all around it. Just like it was brand new. Perfect. Beautiful. Waiting for me.

While Aunt Peg visited inside, I sat in that swing and felt like I had won the world. What excitement as I took my first step up. My hands were shaking, and I could hardly move my legs, I was so overcome. I sat on the edge, holding the seat with both my hands. And I gently pushed with my body. It moved! It moved! My confidence continued growing and I pushed the swing higher. Oh! The joy! The sheer pleasure. I clapped my hands, and stood up. I was flying wide and happy. 

Once the first excitement had died down, I sat singing and quietly rocking the swing. I spent most of the afternoon there, and when it was time to leave I was reluctant to let the swing go. With a promise to our hostess, and me that we would be back soon, Aunt Peg bustled me off to the car. We never did go back, but that was okay, because something that wonderful is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that you can't keep doing over.

"Is that how you deal with pain?" Marlin studied his notepad as he asked the question, with studied off-handed interest. "You escape to you special world?"

"Sure. Often I do it as an out-of-body experience. I can see myself acting out whatever someone wants from me, but it is only my body. I am not there, not really."

"It's certainly a protective device. How's that working out?"

"I'm afraid of dogs."

Psalm 32:7 NLT For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.

Isaiah 4:6 NLT .. It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.

Ezekiel 34:27 NLT The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the LORD.