Come take a walk through my mind.
Be sure to walk
in a single-file line,
keep your eyes on the back
of the person in front of you,
for if you misstep,
you're likely to be lost forever.
At our first stop,
I'll introduce you to the things
that bring me joy.
The happy things
that shine like the sun on my days
and ease me into slumber
when I snuggle in at night.
Here, you'll find my laughter,
my favorite food,
my best-fitting pair of pants
and my softest sweater.
This is the stop
where you will notice all the beauty
and warmth
and peace that exists within my world.
Here is where I keep my happiest memories,
the scent of home,
the feeling of a dog when I pet her
and the cloud-like softness
of a cat's fur
when it's purring like an engine
freshly oiled.
This is the place where I keep my love,
my passion,
my cache of motivation and ambition.
This will likely be your favorite spot,
and you'll want to remember this place
so please,
take a moment and soak it all in.
Make the effort to memorize
the grass that is perfectly green,
the crisp warm air,
and the sound of gently rushing water
as it passes by us down there at the creek.
You will want to remember this shortly
as we make our way to the next few stops,
because not everything is sunshine
and rainbows as they say.
Let us continue on,
now that everyone's had their chance
to charge their inner batteries
and fill up with warmth.
Store that in your back pocket for now,
because soon you'll be cold
and you'll want to take it out
to keep from freezing.

This is our next spot.
Here you'll find my memories
that don't make me so happy.
Everyone be sure to huddle closely,
and it would probably be best
if you all held hands.
If you have something to hold on to,
the demons that will surely surround us
cannot drag you off.
The howls and screams
are much quieter
if someone else cups their hands
around your ears.
Please remember to be aware
of your surroundings,
I know this is all new to you
but you must keep your eyes
open very wide.
Things come crawling,
slithering,
swooping in from all angles.
Without the proper training,
this can be very exhausting,
I'm well aware
so we won't remain here long.
Be sure not to drop anything,
don't feed the beasts
that are closing in around us.
Don't shed a tear
because it simply sustains their life
just that much longer.
Try not to look
at the dark, withering,
decaying black trees,
and the rain clouds
that are rapidly approaching.
That warmth that I spoke of earlier?
You may want to retrieve that now,
the temperature is dropping,
so let us hurry,
we're on to our last stop.

For those of you who need a rest,
you'll be thankful for this
or maybe you won't.
This stop is my favorite,
it is where I spend most of my time.
Everyone close your eyes
and take a deep breath
and hold it in for a moment.
As you exhale,
we will enter the space.
When I say space,
I mean literally.
This is the place
that is like the space between words.
It is blank,
like the expression on my face
as I am unfazed
by the ordeals we have just been through.
This place is as empty
as the lack of color in the air.
It is so calm
that there is no feeling,
the air is so still
that there is none.
Here I do not breathe,
I just exist.
Here I feel no hunger,
no fear,
no weakness,
but I also have no courage,
no strength,
no satisfaction.
Here there is no longing,
no need,
no desire,
but also no sense of purpose,
no accomplishment,
and no love.
Do not mistake
this white space for light,
for this is the purest meaning
of the absence of everything.
So ladies and gentlemen,
you have made it.
You made it
to the end of the trip through my mind,
and you have survived
just as I have.
But unfortunately for you
there was something I forgot to mention.
Once you have made it to this blank place,
it's nearly impossible to make your way out.
This is the end of my shift,
I am used to where it leaves me.
Here is where you begin your journey alone,
trying to fight your way out.
You have to start here,
where there is nothing,
and claw your way,
all by your lonesome,
back through the terror,
the horrific images from which
we just came,
to make your way back to the light.
You must go it alone,
in a single-file line.
But tread lightly,
because somewhere in all these ruins
lies my heart,
please do not step on it
on your way out of my life.