Eternal Paths


Life always seemed to show me two choices since I was a child, appearing before me as blue and red streaks of light that diverged from where I stood. They were nothing but a haze at first and only became clear when I became ten years old. I asked Mom what it meant, and she said it was a gift that was unique to our family—one that very few inherited. Mom herself did not possess the gift, but she said that Grandma did. If only she were still around… Grandma passed away when Mom was a teen.


Making decisions was simple: stepping on the blue streak allowed me to see into the future and learn all the steps I needed to take to succeed in everything I do. I always went with blue as it seemed the safest choice. I dared not take the red path, but I always wondered whether it was truly the wrong path. Perhaps it was just a bolder choice? My curiosity lingered, and it grew as the years passed by.


In time, I studied hard and aced all my exams. Soon, I was in one of the best universities in the country. Life was hectic, but I really enjoyed the field I was pursuing, as well as the friends I made along the way. One day, I was invited to a party out of town. While I often declined such invitations and went with the usual blue streak, at that moment, I hesitated and said I’d get back to them later. That evening, I wondered what it would be like to choose the red streak for a change.


That same night, I called my friends and told them I’d join them, and doing so, I stepped on the red path for the first time. However, what unfolded next was not something I could’ve ever foreseen: the red streak didn’t show me bad or bold possibilities. Instead, it allowed me to do the unimaginable: time travel. I found myself watching the events at a simple home dinner unfold when Mom was still a teenager and Grandma was still alive. I was wondering how it was even possible when I heard a voice call out to me from behind.


“Jane, I’m so glad you received the same gift.”


I turned around to find Grandma standing there. She smiled and hugged me, asking me how I have been. We soon began to talk about our lives, and I asked her everything I ever wanted to know about this wonderful gift I had. Grandma said that the blue streak was the path of perception, and that the red was the path of the past. One allowed us to mold our future, and the other to revisit the fond memories of not just us, but our ancestors as well.

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