Consciousness

By: Shelita Taylor

Have you ever contemplated the earliest moments of consciousness in your life and at what age it began? I had this realization at an astonishingly young age.

I was merely five years old, the youngest of my mother's four children. On that particular day, my mother left me sleeping on the couch as she escorted my siblings to the nearby school bus stop, just in front of our apartment building. She anticipated a quick return, assuming I would still be asleep when she got back. However, that day, she decided to make a brief trip across the street to the store.

I stirred from my slumber on the living room couch, greeted by an overwhelming sense of fear. The dimly lit room felt eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of life. I rose to my feet, driven by a need to investigate and find out who else was home with me, only to discover that I was utterly alone.

I stood in the hallway, my back against the wall, tears streaming down my cheeks as I feared my mother had forgotten me. It was then that a radiant sunlight enveloped my mind, and a comforting, masculine voice spoke to me.

In the most soothing and tender tone, the voice reassured me, saying, "Stop crying, little one. You are not alone."

I ceased crying at the sound of that voice, wiping away my tears. I gazed ahead and saw nothing, yet an overwhelming sense of peace washed over me, emanating from the brilliant light.

The voice continued, saying, "Fetch that chair from the kitchen and turn on the light so you can see."

I obediently walked into the kitchen, retrieved the wooden dining chair, and positioned it beneath the light switch. With a flick of the switch, the room was flooded with light, dispelling the darkness that had shrouded me, though the brilliance still lingered in my mind.

Once more, the voice gently instructed, "Retrieve the chair and get the cereal from the cabinet."

I complied, fetching the chair and ascending to reach the cereal box from the cabinet. Afterward, I retrieved a bowl and milk from the fridge. I poured the cereal into the bowl, followed by the milk, with a sense of accomplishment washing over me. I secured a spoon from the drawer and carried my bowl of cereal back to the couch, where I turned on the television to watch my beloved cartoon, Barney and Friends. I sat there quietly, munching on my cereal, laughing at the TV. After finishing my meal and changing my clothes, my mother still hadn't returned.

Finally, she entered the apartment, a bag in hand and a bewildered expression on her face. "You woke up early today, huh?" she remarked with a smile.

I beamed proudly and replied, "Yes, I dressed myself and made a bowl of cereal. Oh, and I found channel 13 all by myself."

"You're becoming quite the big girl, though you could've put the milk back. Are you ready to go to your grandma's house?" my mother asked, brimming with enthusiasm.

"Yes!" I sang joyfully, rushing to put on my shoes.

My mother, still perplexed, inquired, "How did you manage to pour the milk without spilling it?"

I chuckled and replied, "It was like magic," as I lacked the words to explain what had truly occurred. How my tiny self had handled that gallon of milk without waste remained a mystery, as I had merely followed the guidance of the reassuring voice within my mind.

My mother tied my shoes, and we departed the house. From that day forward, I became eagerly curious, constantly seeking to understand how the world worked. I viewed things with newfound clarity and sensed the energies of people I encountered, often discerning their true natures even before they uttered a word. It was occasionally unsettling yet profoundly enlightening.

The essence of this tale is to illuminate the minds of all God's children who acknowledge His presence and, hopefully, to capture the attention of those who may doubt or question His existence. Recognizing and embracing your consciousness is a reward, not a burden. You must strive to embody the qualities you desire in life. If you seek goodness, be good, and goodness shall follow.

I have shared this personal story with those close to me, and today, I share it with YOU. The awareness you feel is real. Whenever you choose to embrace your consciousness and truth, pay heed to your surroundings and piece together the puzzle using the smallest fragments of information, all within the confines of your own mind.

Thank you for taking the time to read my short story and I pray that everyone that stops by peace and abundance to you. I will continue to draft short stories that come to my mind and hope that the messages reach who they need to. Thank you again.