I am a woman who no one notices as, after centuries, most women are still not noticed. I am truth calling to the world in a desperate murmur. I am the image of your sister and your female friends. I am the same as your wife, your mother, and your daughter. I am your comfort in the darkness. You know everything, yet nothing, about me. You look at me from the corner of your eye, entreating me to speak. You think you know what you want from me; but I sense you are not ready. I look you straight in the eye, piercing your very soul. You cannot help but swallow the lump that has developed in your throat; but you meet my gaze and for you, I open my mind to speak.

Beneath an early morning sun, a man with a mind divided walks in the woods. He is unaware of time. He doesn’t know much of anything anymore, not since his wife left him. She was tired of fighting his demons for him. She couldn’t stand him anymore, so she packed up and quietly walked out the door. She was gone before he woke up, leaving nothing but a note. She took the children with her. He was lost; lost in time, lost in spirit, and lost in body. There is nothing for him to do but walk. Utterly alone, he has decided that there is nothing left for him. Today is the day that he will die.

Singular in purpose he steps, a dead man walking. Yet, as he walks, he realizes that this place makes him feel different. It makes him feel stronger and cleaner somehow. It is a truly scenic path. Oak and pine trees tower above him. Petals from flowering cherry trees float before him, tickling his eyes and nose. He hears the bubbling of a nearby stream. It causes an peace in him, a peace both strange and familiar. Everything is new to him, yet he feels as if he is finally home. He keeps walking, losing awareness of himself. After hours that seemed like minutes, he comes to a clearing. In this clearing, under a weeping willow, he sees a weeping woman. She is more beautiful than any woman he has ever seen. His mind starts racing in confusion and a desire to know. He forgets his desire for death, there is no room in his mind for anything but this one woman.

“What is she?”

“She is beautiful but, oh, so serious.”

“She stays silent, perhaps she is mocking me. Should I try to make her speak?”

The man stands before her, listening to the dialogue in his mind unfold. He tries to think above it. He tries to simply think.

“I wonder what makes her so sad.”

“Is there anything I can do to help her, anything to relieve her sorrow.”

She looks up at him, tears streaming down her face. He looks at the woman and, completely entranced, he bends down and kisses her on the forehead. The lightning goes through him with no warning. He falls to his knees at her feet.

His eyes soften, partly out of fear and partly out of awareness. He rises from the ground and looks her in the eyes.

“Tell me. I wish to understand.”

She touched her hands to the man’s head, one hand on each side.

Close your eyes and I will show you; but I warn you, much of what you see you will not like. This is the story of the world. I have observed it all from the beginning. Watch and see the heritage has been left for the children. First, I will show you the worst of it and you will see why I weep.

He closed his eyes, as she requested, and the whole story of the world played like a movie in his mind.

He saw the first murder, Cain standing over Abel as the blood was absorbed by the earth. He saw the dark shadow whispering in Cain’s ear as he stood there, telling him that he did what he had to do. The shade’s name was Jealousy. He saw Cain deny what he had done, saw Cain ask the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He saw Cain sent away to wander and he saw Eve weeping over the loss of her two sons.

He saw the evils of Sodom before it was destroyed. There were many dark shadows there, nearly as many as there were people. The shades there had many names, they were called Lust, Rape, Thievery, and many, many others. He saw men using women, children, and beasts to satisfy their deviant desires. He saw the weeping of the few righteous people who lived there. He saw shame in the eyes of the innocent who could not stop this evil that subdued them, the evil that was beyond their control.

He saw David arrange the death of a soldier, a soldier he pretended was his friend, so he could steal that man’s wife. He saw Uriah, the soldier, fall into the trap that was set. He saw comrades back away and saw Uriah faced with more enemy troop than he could handle. He saw shadows there as well, speaking their evil to David. These shades were named Jealousy and Lust. He saw Bathsheba weeping over the loss of her husband and falling into the arms of his murderer.

“Woman! Please! I cannot take anymore. Take these visions away, they are too much for me to bear.”

You asked for this and now you must see it all. You must see the story of the world you live in.

He saw the people mocking the prophets who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, threatening to take their lives. He saw the shadows of Cynicism and Hate. He saw Jeremiah lamenting the destruction of everything and even weeping over the deaths of his persecutors. He saw another prophet, Lehi, flee into the wilderness with his family; leaving Jerusalem for the promise of a bountiful new world. Both prophets had followed the Lord’s will for them and both were constantly faced with the murmuring and hatred of those around them. The man was sorrowful and amazed that those two brave souls did what God told them, despite all opposition. He saw the weeping of the prophets and all good people. He, too, began to weep.

He saw the killing of many baby boys, killed by order of Herod in the search of one in particular. He saw the shades of Envy and Fear telling Herod that this boy must not live. By the will of God, the child lived. He saw the life of the child who escaped, a child named Jesus. He saw Jesus as a boy of twelve years doing his Father’s work in the Temple. He watched as Jesus preached love and goodness to the people around him. He saw the hatred and fear of the Pharisses. He saw the apostles sleeping through Jesus’ pain in Gethsemane. He saw Judas’ betrayal as he kissed his Lord to turn him over to the Romans. He saw the crucifixion of the Savior of the world, the whipping, the crown of thorns, and the agonizing end hanging from the cross.

Tears fell from his eyes on to the ground and again he plead to the woman to make the visions stop. Again, she refused.

He saw the world progressively get worse. He saw the dark ages and the hypocrisy of the so-called clergy of the time. He realized that they had strayed far from the teachings of Jesus. He saw thousands upon thousands die in the Great Crusades, a so-called Holy War. He watched as shades of Greed whispered in the ears of Popes and kings, he saw that they loved money and riches more than the people. He saw many horrendous deeds done ‘in the name’ of Jesus. It broke the man’s heart to see such things.

Keep watching! I think that you are beginning to understand.

He saw another boy, on the other side of the world; a boy who saw glorified beings, who saw an angel, Heavenly Father, and Jesus. He saw this boy attempting to share the things he had learned with a community that mostly did not believe him. He saw the shadows of Fear, Contention, and Disbelief everywhere, whispering in the ears of anyone who would hear them He saw men hurting and killing the young man’s friends, the ones who believed. He saw people being tarred and feathered. He saw women and children being massacred at Haun’s Mill. He saw others dying from exposure to the harsh weather in Missouri and Illinous. He saw the murder of the young man who saw God and the murder of his brother. He watched as the believers of the newly restored church of Jesus Christ fled for their lives. He saw many dying on the long trip across the plains. He even saw people fall away because they could not handle the persecution.

He saw the many wars that spread throughout the world.

He saw the evils of the Holocaust for one man’s dream of ethnic cleansing. He saw the Spirits of Self Hatred surrounding the man. He saw the suffering and death of millions by this one man’s hand, millions of men and women who were just like him.

He saw the first nuclear bombs dropped on Japan. He witnessed the quick death of many and realized that they were the lucky ones. He saw the survivors die one by one, falling by leukemia.

He saw presidents and kings assassinated by people who didn’t want to change the world. He saw women killing their babies out of vanity. He saw children taking guns and knives to school , murdering their class mates and teachers.

Suddenly, as quickly as they started, the visions stopped and all was quiet inside of the man.

“Woman, what was the purpose of that? Why did you show me the thousands of years of evil and the destruction of everything good? Is there nothing worthwhile on earth, nothing joyful or good?”

“I’m not sure if I can. . .”

He was interrupted as the last thing she had to show him flashed into his mind. He saw women nursing their infants and caring for the children. He saw men toiling in the fields and hunting to keep their families fed. All the centuries of people helping each other and lending a kind hand, hugs, or a listening ear were accounted for. There were men and women of wisdom teaching the people, loving and patient since time began. Then before time began, beyond the veil, he saw kind Heavenly Parents sending children to the earth to learn.

The man weeped tears of joy.