Honey Gouda

Sedona had heard of this basin. They had named it Dukkha. People came here to cry. 

This was the pool made of tears. Each transparent drop contained a unique struggle. 

But Sedona didn’t come to cry, she came to experience. 

She admired the solid, gray rocks dripping with emerald moss that protected the sparkling pool. The sun was overhead but wispy clouds were quickly dancing past, casting strange shadows over the ground.

Then, from the depths, dark eyes emerged. 

They held her gaze and hypnotized her feet to lift themselves closer. Sedona tottered onto a jagged rock and stared at her reflection. The black water perfectly cast back her wide, sky eyes. It was as if there were two almond-shaped holes in her head and the water could see through to the blue ceiling above.

She dipped a finger tentatively into the water. A cold wave of memories washed over her. She closed her eyes as images of hardships took center stage.

Sadness flooded through her veins, threatening to explode through her thin tissue. 

Then Sedona leapt into the dark eyes. A tsunami of infinite pain consumed her. She felt every heartbreak, loss, tragedy, failure, and betrayal, they coursed through her like an icy shock. And before the world turned night black, Sedona’s last thought was the calm realization that she was drowning. 

I think you’re about to die, her mind informed her.

***

Hours or minutes later, she found herself lying on a mossy rock by the basin with no memory of having swam to the surface. The sad eyes noticed that Sedona was awakening and asked her why she would subject herself to such unimaginable suffering. The eyes knew of course, but they wanted to hear it from the mouth of the brave swimmer.

Though I haven’t cried here, that is my pain too, Sedona said as she pointed to the water, How could I ignore it?