The Hidden Works of Marvin Poppins

Chronicles of a relatively unknown magical misfit

Chapter One Vivian’s Dream: In Being the Doing is Done

A woman with green eyes stood before a signpost in the forest. She’d been wandering the trail littered with wet autumn leaves for what seemed an eternity. Finally, at a crossroads, she now faced a decision. To either veer left along with the fallen leaves or cut right along a narrow path through clusters of birch trees stretching into the darkness.

She studied the signpost etched with black words designating each path. The one to her left labeled “Being” and the other as “Doing”. The choice between the two paths began to confuse her as she strained to remember where she was going or where she had been. Anxiety spread outward from her chest to her limbs as her muddled thoughts raced. An overwhelming panic began to feed scenarios of never escaping the woods followed by a quickening sensation to make a decision.

Frozen hoping for something to reveal a hint as to what direction she should go, a cascade of frustration engulfed her as she could no longer hold back tears. Suddenly a faint sound of waves crashing over rocks like rhythmic heartbeats from the sea echoed into her left ear.

As she looked down the trail of “Being” something glimmered out of the corner of her eye. A source of energy began to build above and behind her in the shadows. She knew she was no longer alone.

A presence unseen created a warm and welcoming sensation. As if she could see in all directions while standing in one place, she knew other beings had joined her journey and knew they were there to support her. Time began to disappear and the anxiety once felt was vanquished in an instant. No longer afraid, no longer rushed, she could truly take inventory of what lie before her.

Studying the paths while contemplating the meaning of “being” and “doing” she fought to feel called in either direction.

Nothing.

Waiting for the energies above to push or guide her.

Nothing.

It was then that she knew, THERE WAS NO WRONG CHOICE TO MAKE!

With the deep resonance of her new knowledge along with the sense that the beings above her would wait an eternity for her. Without thought, she allowed herself to take a step. As if it were the most courageous act she had ever undertaken, she took another, then another. With each movement, a deepening of her choice was affirmed. Slowly, methodically and with conviction, the walk began to release a sensation that this was a choice from her soul. Not from the fear-based mind of a human self.

As the sun parted the clouds and the tall beach grass grazed her outstretched hands, a choir of voices beginning as a whisper slowly amplifying in song;

“IN THE BEING, THE DOING IS DONE — IN THE BEING THE DOING IS DONE”

It was that moment that she knew her life would forever be changed.

“Vivian! Vivian!” a voice cried out from the waves on the shoreline.

Knowing her path had been set, Vivian envisioned the beach with every crashing wave she heard as she moved closer to discovering who was calling her name.

Making her way to an opening among the tall grass, her eyes feasted upon the vast ocean mirroring a horizon with a red sun hanging over blue water. Vivian stood as the wind whipped her auburn curls and began to comb the beach for the voice who called her name.

Noticing a man with his back to her sitting on a bone-white log, he brushed a hand through his peppered hair then rose to his feet. She got a sense he had been waiting for her and knew she was watching him. When he turned to face her she could make out he appeared to be an older man. However, it was the patch over his right eye that resonated a knowing inside of her.

The man radiated with love while smiling at her. His powerful emotions were strangely familiar to her yet his face unknown.

“Vivian! Vivian!” A rough deep voice repeated over and over bellowing louder than the windy beach. As fear began to creep in her senses again, she held onto the sound of the Soul Song the angelic beings had sung to her.

Vivian woke singing, “In the being the doing is done,” while her husband Craig tried shaking her awake while calling her name.

Vivian’s eyes opened as she heard herself singing the song from her dream. She looked up at Craig’s disapproving face pocked with two empty hazel eyes.

“You were singing in your sleep. It fucking woke me up and I’ve got another hour until I need to get up for work.”

She looked up at him and could see his annoyance. “I was having an amazing dream,” she started to explain but he just rolled out of bed making his way to the bathroom.

Vivian laid in the cruelty of her waking world with memories crystalizing an unfavorable life. She could feel the serenity from her dream as tortured tears ventured down her cheek.

“Is it time?” She whispered.

“Not yet” they replied.

Thank you for reading my first chapter. Additional work published on Medium by Christopher Madsen.