Here are the links for Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 in case you have not had a chance to read them yet!

Chapter 3 – Journey of the Spirit

When Tommy entered the library, he knew he was in the right place, surrounded by a wealth of history and knowledge. Over the course of the next few months, this place would be his new home. In his downtime, he would reflect on this period of research so fondly. He had a path. He was in a comforting home, family structure, but he was on a mission. For so long he had dreams of escaping this world. It was a source of anger, frustration, bitterness, and dissappointment. Why was he confined in a place where he didn’t belong, where he couldn’t be completely free? He had no answers, but this library gave him hope.

Part of the Sentinal Ecosystem

Tommy also reflected on the time spent in the Sentinal tree’s complex. He got to know many of the other birds and animals that inhabited the area. It was a beautiful community that was happy to have him there. Tommy suspected that some of the older animals knew what he was up to but they were so friendly and he was never bothered. It was almost as if it was a place that was meant for him. The complex had an enchanted and mystical aura around it. Sometimes, it felt that the animals were figures of his imagination, and even the books and his experience inside the library at times felt too good to be true.

Sometimes, Tommy would wonder where this community had been his whole life. He begin to slowly see the beauty of the Sentinal ecosystem, and the beauty of the oasis as a whole. He even dreamed about what life would be like if he never left. Would he be ok if he never left? Tommy never thought about not leaving because he always envisioned a life beyond. He was starting to find a purpose and passion in his life! Something he had always dreamed of.

History of His Kin

Tommy’s research in the library ranged so wide it was hard to comprehend. Tommy was fascinated with his lineage, and more importantly, life before and beyond the oasis. The history described vast territories, habitats, climates, etc. occupied by his toucan ancestors. This history also depicted a world of danger and threats that he had no prior knowledge of, other than stories passed down orally through legend. These stories didn’t make him fearful for the future or life beyond the oasis, but it gave him a deep sense of appreciation for the sacrifices they made to give him the life he has today.

He felt empowered to discover more about his ancestors to see if there were any wisdom that he missed or had not uncovered yet. Through this research, he learned to appreciate where he came from and the ancestry that lives within his soul. “What did family truly mean to him?”

The Spirit of Family

Tommy had a fun-loving childhood. He was given the space to explore, which is what he liked to do best. He never felt trapped, just trapped by the Oasis. The desert then became his enemy, with its dry and desolate landscape as his prison bars. By being solely focused on his escape, he could not be bothered to focus on anything else.

He never bothered to look through and learn the history of his ancestors because his eyes were on the horizon. Tommy needed to learn the importance of his heritage eventually. Through the library, he learned how much the trauma, triumphs, obstacles, achievements and more are all passed down through him. “Why did he have a desire to leave them all behind for so long?” Whatever the reason, he now understood that he carried all of that energy with him. “What would it say if he left all that behind?” It all would still be with him. His past is still with him but it does not define him. He can let the pain and darkness go while knowing it is always a part of him.

Heart Chambers

The library was teaching him to cherish where he was in the present moment, all the good and all the bad. As he learned about his heritage, it helped him understand his roots, his foundation. This knowledge brought him higher and higher up the spiral to the present, to his body and heart.

Here was a place for him to explore and paint, and express! The library was still a library but it was a place where he could tap into his feelings and let his heart sing! There were whiteboards and canvas, musical instruments, sights, sounds, smells and all he ever needed to tap into his heart. When he reached this place he was immediately overwhelmed.

Tommy had never really been taught to emote and feel. He was taught to be tough, strong, and to not let things get to him. He had always kept things bottled up, but not in here. In this space, he was immersed in every emotion he was capable of, from deep love and hate, to joy and dread. He took his time in this place. He allowed himself to feel, imagine, and ride the waves. It was as if he was a kid all over again, dreaming and adventuring in new worlds.

Needing Belonging and Connection

His time in the chambers of the heart allowed him to feel and release and embrace. It gave him the knowledge he needed as well. His freedom to express himself fully helped him realize that everything he had been searching for in far off lands was right there within him! He wanted to belong. He realized throught this research that he always belonged here with his family, and with the vast nework ecosystems that the Sentinal tree provided for.

But there was something missing. It was as if he wanted to leave in order to be understood. He knew there was more out there in the world and he was determined to find it. He had to realize that the understanding and connection he had always been searching for was right there in the room with him. His heart beating and yearning to sing and be free. He had kept his heart chained through pain and fear from the past and the future.

Over time he would continue to make strides in these realizations. Some were strong and powerful, others were gradual. He began to learn to listen to his body, and to trust his heart. Eventually one day, he ascended above the heart chambers to what he believed was the top of the spiral. At the very top he found a beautiful wooden framed mirror.

The Mirror

When Tommy first stepped into the room and saw the mirror, he immediately thought of the vision he had of the goddess. Could this be the moment he encounters her? His mind was playing tricks with him, but he could not help believing that is was possible to meet her. She truly was the toucan of his dreams, something he knew in every cell of his body, yet it was a dream.

Tommy faced the mirror and saw his reflection. He stayed there examining himself waiting for something to happen. He could only stay for so long before boredom creeped in and he began to feel lost and out of sorts. “How could this be the pinnacle of the library”? “What was there to find in this mirror?” Just like that it dawned on him. He was there to find himself!

All these experiences, books, lessons, and emotions have led him inward. He has come to know himself. Tommy truly realized he was beginning to completely know himself. For so long he was searching for external validation, whether in characters, stories, far off worlds, magical realms and a paradise beyond. He never stopped to think, how would he describe himself, how could someone understand him if he could not articulate who he was to someone new?

Tommy’s Self-Love

From that point on, Tommy named the mirror “The Mirror of Self-Love and Acceptance”. He realized that his whole life had taught him that he was different, but that was ok, and he was actually happier for it. His uniqueness gave him passion and purpose and joy! He truly loved himself, and the journey he took to get there taught him who he truly was.

Tommy learned we each have our own unique library deep within our soul that we have access to at any time. We can always dig deep to learn more about ourselves. He learned that nobody will ever truly understand him like he understands himself, and that is ok. Sometimes there is nothing to explain, and that is ok too. He knew he would meet his goddess when it is meant for him, but no toucan will compare to the god and goddess he has deep within his soul, the mix of all his ancestry and his uniqueness.

Tommy is FREE <3

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you thought about this story in the comments or by emailing me at tmm13827@gmail.com. What should I write about next?