Playing Hide and Seek
by Danny
What a joy to experience my son Nathan from many different perspectives! From the age of three, he loved to play the game Hide and Seek. It wasn’t so much fun for him to be the seeker. He always wanted to hide – and simply adored being found. He’d dash behind the nearest chair or drop to the floor and scurry under the bed, not waiting for me to cover my eyes and count. While I dutifully counted to ten he giggled away, unable to hide his glee.
The first time we played the game and I’d finished counting to ten, I said, “Where’s Nathan?” in a big booming voice. He laughed and laughed as he responded, “Here I am!” and immediately came out of his hiding place to give me a big smile. Then he wanted to play again and again. One time I finished counting to ten and just started looking for him (knowing exactly where he was) and he came out from under the bed to say, “No, Daddy, you have to say ‘Where’s Nathan?’” and slipped back into hiding.
The giggles and belly laughs from both of us were impossible to contain. From my point of view it gave him great pleasure to know that someone was looking for him. Soon he learned that it was even more fun to prolong the ‘being found’ part of the game, but there was only a certain amount of time he would tolerate NOT being found. If I took too long to find him, he’d start making rustling sounds, or he’d just blurt out where he was hiding. And then I would say, “There’s Nathan!” and his whole body would vibrate with a child’s joy for Life.
Finally the game would end and in a moment of reflection, I asked myself if this was the same game I’d been playing all my life, only I’d forgotten I was playing a game. Of course the answer was, ‘Yes, I am hiding from myself by believing that I am not Creation.’ Everyone reading this has had the experience of ‘being found’ and the body remembers that experience – every ah-ha moment, every deep breath and every little letting go; we are “found.” Every appreciation of a sunset, or another human’s face, and our bodies relax into the experience of Truth.
When I’m stressed out and believing in the lie that says I’m separate from Oneness, I remember the teaching of my little boy and how that teaching mirrors so beautifully the teachings of Barbara Emrys and Don Miguel Ruiz. Ah-ha! I forgot I was playing the game and I forgot to make sure ‘Daddy’ would find me. How amazing that even in the deepest Hell I have left clues to find myself. The clues are everywhere and in everything. Because, in truth, I am everywhere and in every thing.
What a wonderful sensation to feel that rush of joy and peace as my body relaxes once again into Truth. I’m beginning to discover (as Nathan knew all along) that seeking is not where the FUN is. Miguel’s words, “Don’t believe yourself.” will remain forever one of the fastest ways to enlightenment. At once shifting attention from programmed manifestation to present moment awareness where all possibilities exist. This is the experience of ‘being found’ on a moment-to-moment basis because there is no “lost.” The natural emotional response in this body is a mixture of gratitude and deep peace. Thank you, Barbara. Thank you, Nathan. And thank you, Danny, the only one who can redeem that false perception of “lost” by simply not believing it. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and Santa Claus is you.