Face to Face

Because you are helpless or simply feel helpless, your choices are dwindling and charges of paranoia notwithstanding, you are sure you are leading a conspiracy against yourself, and are doomed. You take a step, wobble, take another, trip, break an ankle, limp, drop off the edge, crawl through uncharted territory. To what? For what? Raising your head, you come face to face with yourself confidently striding towards you, extending concern, help, an arm. You are grateful for the lift and support. Hardly recognizing the compassion, you ask, “Is it really you?” “No, it’s you,” comes back the near echo. Shoulder to shoulder, you retrace your steps, converge, retrieve the best of what you shed and find more to yourself than you remember.