I was in my office, looking outside my window. The city was the same, but I wasn't. I could see many of the things I'd always seen, like people and cars, but I now saw birds, windows in the building across from mine, and even a couple of cats and dogs. Everything seemed alive, including the few small trees below that decorated the side of my building. Unlike before, I was no longer looking for a distraction. This time, I was enchanted with everything I observed. The experience itself was more than enough; I wanted and needed nothing else out of it.

I thought about Eric's movie and wondered if it had an even more dramatic effect on me than I imagined. With that thought I felt another pull, which was to make my way over to Karine's office. I didn't know why.

“Hey. What's up?” I asked.

“Oh, hi. Not much. Well, perhaps it is much. I've been thinking about how fortunate I've been and how I owe a lot of that to you. I feel so much better about things, and it's not only because of the money or the new role; it's mostly because I've now given myself permission to be me. I feel … freed. Do you know what I mean?”

“I believe I do. Karine, how do you know you're not dreaming?”

“What?”

“Nothing. Just thinking out loud.” I walked over to her window and checked out her view. She followed me and looked outside as well.

“What do you see, Scott?”

“I see freedom, Karine. Everywhere. And I know that I can experience that any time I choose by letting go of any attachments, desires, goals, doubts, or fears. As I release all that I think I want or think I am, I uncover and reveal the freedom of that which I truly am.”

Karine put her hand on my shoulder, and we stood there silently for a few moments.

As I continued to look at the clouds, I tilted my head and recognized a few that reminded me of those I'd seen in my dreams. I was about to say something about that but then noticed that one of the clouds began to grow bigger and stand out from the others. It became brighter than those around it and seemed to shape itself into the torso of a woman. I felt a comforting tingle run through me.

I turned to Karine and gave her a big hug. “I have to go,” I said with a sense of urgency.

“What? What's the rush?”

“I need to go meet someone. A woman.”

“Well it's about time! What's her name?”

I threw my hands up. “I'm not sure,” I said as I left her office. I ran downstairs, hailed a cab, and jumped in. I told him to go to the Bethesda Fountain.

It was a beautiful spring day in Central Park. I sat by the fountain and waited. After an hour or so, I felt a little confused and surprised that I didn't see her. I wondered if I had misread the sign and just imagined what I saw in the cloud.

All thoughts stopped as I looked into the water. It sparkled with energy. I heard birds singing and looked around me. Children laughed and played, lovers walked arm-in-arm, and nature was alive, everywhere. Even the concrete I sat on seemed vibrant. In the moment, I saw and experienced it all.

I enjoyed the scene for a while longer and then walked to the street to catch a cab home. After a long wait, one pulled up, but as I started to get in, a woman grabbed the handle along with my hand.

“I'm sorry,” she said, “I didn't see you.”

It was the woman from Eric's movie premiere. I was too dumbfounded to reply.

“Look, I really would like to get home,” she said. “It's been a good but long day. … Wait, … do I know you?”

In my daze, I shrugged my shoulders. She studied my face.

“Listen … which way are you going?” she asked.

I'd learned about seeing. I'd practiced acceptance. I'd begun re-creating my belief system. I'd watched twins dance to a mysterious melody. I'd contemplated amazing concepts and even crossed the gap between my waking and dream worlds. And with all my new-found experience and wisdom, the only thing that came out of my mouth was “Huh?”

“I was thinking we might share the cab. I'm going downtown,” she said. “So which way are you going?”

“Uh, I live that way.” I pointed in the opposite direction.

“Oh well, that's too bad,” she said. I moved out of her way. She opened the door and entered. The cab began to pull away and I watched her watching me until she was out of range.

“What did I just do?” I said to a passerby on the street. He ignored me. I then reached down to my pocket and felt the magnifying glass. I didn't know what I'd just done, but suddenly I knew exactly what to do. I snapped my fingers.

“So which way are you going?” she asked.

“I know this might sound a bit crazy, but I'm going whichever way you're going.”

She smiled beautifully, just as she did when we made love for the first time. Then she held out her hand.

“Hello, crazy man. I'm Skye.”