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desperation, and constantly with the sense that we are quickly one might imagine finding in a jungle. In fact, the whole place running out of time. looked like a jungle—so out of place from the pine, oak and blue- I should have worked harder and with that same desperation at berry that is typical in the Pine Barrens. As we sat down, a deeper a much earlier date, but, like the rest of mankind, it took a strong spiritual sense of awareness came over me, and it was then that I message to get me motivated. I should have known that these noticed the gravestones. things he prophesied would some day come true, because his per- This was the place of a very old and probably long-forgotten sonal, minor predictions were coming true daily. cemetery, possibly belonging to the town that had once been here. He so accurately foretold of Rick's death on a white horse, that I The stones were old; some lay flat on the ground and others stood would some day teach, that I would have a son—and that taking upright, though none was straight. Plants and bushes had overrun him into the Pine Barrens for the first time would forever change many of the stones, and I could barely make out the markings on my life. He predicted the formation of my school, my books, my the stones. The weathering process had worn away many of the family, and even the horrible mistakes I would make as I tried to names and dates, making them barely readable. live within society. At once we were in awe, humbled and Yet with all of this coming true on a daily reverent in this place of death; at the same basis, I simply would not believe or accept time, we were amazed that Grandfather had that the major prophecy of man's destruction found it so easily. To my knowledge, none dc true, and its reality hit me hard. f us had b there before, had Te was then that the urgency made itselt | H@ $0 accurately foretold | G,.naraiher ever spoken of this graveyard known. of Rick Ss death ona white Yet for some reason he seemed to be drawn horse, that | would some to it, knowing that it was there on some unseen spiritual level, at least unseen to us. remember so vividly the "night of the [s« prophecies"—as I have become day teach, that | would I suspect now, as I look back, that he knew accustomed to calling that night when have a son... that it would become a teaching lesson for Grandfather first made us aware of their pos- us. sibility. We had been with Grandfather for He walked over to a gravestone that was five years at the time and were accustomed He predicted the partially hidden by foxgrape vines and gen- to his prophecies and their accuracy. Our ability to understand the things of the Spirit world were as sure as our ability to survive and track. Very little of what society calls "the paranormal" shocked us any more, because miracles were part of our everyday existence. Grandfather was a living miracle, and so many of the things that he did on a daily basis, sometimes unconsciously, would be considered miraculous by most. Yet as savvy as we were spiritu- ally, the night of the four prophecies shocked us like nothing we had ever experienced before. tly pulled them away. After a long moment, he motioned us to come over. We could barely make out the name on the grave or the dates, but at the bottom was carved clearly: "12 years old". Grandfather then spoke. "Who are these people; who is this boy? What did they work for and what were their hopes, dreams and visions? Did they just work physically or did they work for the things beyond the flesh, for a grander purpose? Certainly they affected the Spirit-that-moves-in-all- things, but did they really work to the best of their ability to make things bet- We had been hiking all day without much of a break, making ter for the future of their grandchildren, or did they do nothing our way to a place where we were going to camp, atop a small hill other than to perpetuate the myth of society? Were they happy, that I now call Prophecy Hill. It was a typical midsummer hike: —_ joyous and filled with spiritual rapture, or did they just lead lives hot, humid and dusty, with no water available along our entire of labour and mediocrity? And did this boy live close to the Earth travel route. As usual, we still took time to stop frequently or take and the Creator, or did he just give up his youth, his sense of side trips to explore various areas along our route. The adventure adventure, to toil, as did his parents and their parents before and exploration kept us fresh and eager, making the fatigue, heat them? This boy was exactly your age, and I suspect he had hopes formation of my school, my books, my family, and even the horrible mistakes | would make as I tried to live within society. and thirst hardly factors. and dreams much like yours. But this is his legacy, lying in a for- Many times along the way, Grandfather would stop and teach gotten grave." us—not physical lessons of survival, tracking or awareness, but "But, Grandfather," I said, "isn't it enough just to be happy and lessons dealing with the awareness of Spirit. Very often he would ive your life fully?" discuss the future and, almost as frequently, the past—the distant After a long moment of silence, Grandfather answered. "It is past. not enough that man be just happy in the flesh, but he must also At one point we stopped along the deer trail we were travelling e happy and joyous in spirit. For without spiritual happiness and and followed Grandfather through some heavy brush. The trees rapture, life is shallow. Without seeking the things of the Spirit, and shrubs were far different than those throughout the rest of the _ life is half lived and empty. And by spiritual life I do not mean Pine Barrens, and I immediately knew this place as an old home- _—_just setting aside one hour of one day of one week for worship, stead or town of some sort. Even though the buildings had long ut to seek the things of the spirit every moment of every day. I since rotted away, the plants and trees still marked the spot where ask you, then: What did these people do to seek spiritual enlight- civilisation had once stood. Passing through several very thick enment and rapture? Did they just give in to a life that was little areas, we finally entered a grove of very tall, old sycamore trees. more than work? They were given a choice every day of their From their branches and up their trunks ran huge vines, the kind ives—as you will be given a choice to seek the rapture of the horse, that | would some day teach, that | would have a son... He predicted the formation of my school, my books, my family, and even the horrible mistakes | would make within society. past. At one point we stopped along the deer trail we were travelling and followed Grandfather through some heavy brush. The trees and shrubs were far different than those throughout the rest of the Pine Barrens, and I immediately knew this place as an old home- stead or town of some sort. Even though the buildings had long since rotted away, the plants and trees still marked the spot where civilisation had once stood. Passing through several very thick areas, we finally entered a grove of very tall, old sycamore trees. From their branches and up their trunks ran huge vines, the kind 58 + NEXUS He so accurately foretold as | tried to live DECEMBER 1999 — JANUARY 2000