Alia's Secret

Alia felt especially happy today. Her heart felt so joyful she couldn't stop twirling and clapping her hands. She almost fell over about five times.

Her mom, Elraya, said, "Young lady, you are going to get hurt if you keep twirling like that."

"Mom, I can't stop! I feel so happy. It makes me want to twirl and twirl!"

"Why are you so happy today?" asked Elraya.

"It's my secret. It's getting bigger and better. It's the biggest and happiest secret ever. It makes me want to dance and dance!"

Elraya hadn't thought about Alia's secret in a while. She thought that Alia's secret was a wonderful secret. But she also thought that her daughter's secret was only the wonderful imagination of a little girl. It couldn't possibly be real or actually come true. "Why is your secret getting bigger and better?" asked Elraya.

Alia stopped dancing for a moment and thought about it. "Mom, I don't know." And then she danced some more, and then some more . . . and then some more, and then she finally fell down on her fanny. "Ouch!"

"Are you hurt?" asked Mom.

"No, I'm fine, and I'm . . ."

"Still happy?" asked Elraya Mom.

"Yes," laughed Alia. "Mom, I know why—I know why the secret is getting bigger and better."

"Why is that?" asked Elraya Mom.

"Because, Mom, because it is going to come true very soon!"

"Really?" asked Elraya. "When will your secret come true?"

"What day is this, Mom?" asked Alia.

"Today is Friday," answered Mom.

Alia counted on her fingers, "Friday, Saturday, Sunday—Sunday, that is the day. Yes, it would be Sunday. On Sunday, Mom. That is the day the secret will come true." Alia hugged her mother tight and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. "Mom, I'm so happy, the secret is coming true!"

On Saturday morning Alia ate her yogurt with big slurps. She hoped her mom didn't notice that she had spilled some and had wiped her hands on her pants. She didn't want her mom to get annoyed with her today. Today, she just was so happy and so excited. "One more day, Mom, one more day."

"What dear?" Mom asked. "Get your coat, we have to do some grocery shopping today."

"Okay, Mom." Alia helped her mom pick out some apples and bananas. They got some more of her favorite yogurt—blueberry. "Mom, can we get a cake and some ice cream?" asked Alia.

"No, I don't think so. Anyway, there is no special occasion. It's not your birthday yet."

"Mom, tomorrow is Sunday, remember?"

"Yes, tomorrow is Sunday, so . . .?" asked Elraya Mom.

"Well, tomorrow is the most special day. It is the day the secret will come true!"

Elraya smiled, "Good try, but I don't think I can afford cake and ice cream."

Alia frowned, "But Mom!"

"Yes?" asked Elraya Mom.

"Don't you believe me?" asked Alia. "Don't you believe in the secret, don't you believe it will come true, tomorrow?"

"Help me put the food on the checkout. We'll talk about this later."

Alia fell asleep earlier that night. She wondered if her mom really believed in her secret. The secret was so wonderful, it saddened her to feel that her mom might not really believe her. She just knew that the secret would come true very soon, tomorrow—Sunday—and that it would be so wonderful. Why didn't her mom know what she knew? Why didn't she believe her?

Alia woke up early on Sunday. Both her parents were still asleep. She dressed herself and went out into the backyard. She sat on her swing and pushed and pumped higher and higher. Her heart was singing as she was swinging. She heard the birds and tried to copy their noises. She felt very lucky today. She felt very special. She knew, she felt, her secret was about to come true.

A man appeared before her. He was old, like Grandfather. He had a big shine all over him. He opened his arms wide for her to come to him. She ran to him and he engulfed her in his shine. She felt his already happy as a big enormous love and she exclaimed, "I know you would come, I knew you are true!"

"Yes, Alia, I am true. I am always with you; I am your very true Self. It is the wonder of Love, it is the mystery of always being happy, of always knowing yourself as I am—your very heart—the Heart lived as all. Always being happy . . . even on the hard days."

"Yes, you are God! And you are here and you live as our heart—but why don't people know that?" asked Alia.

"Everyone wants to know the secret, everyone wants the secret to be revealed. I have come to be Seen—to show the secret and reveal it. You know my secret, dear Alia. Live it and you will Shine for others to come into the yard to meet Me."

"Can't I come and live with you? I want to be with you and live with you. I love you so much, my Da!"

"All live with me, but yes, you can come and stay with me on my island, too."

"Yipee!" squealed Alia.

Da (The Great Secret) and the Revealer of the Great Secret laughed. "But first, shine the secret to those around you."

"Like my mom and dad . . . and grandpa and grandma, too?"

"Yes, always remind them about the secret."

"I will, I will."

"How about one more biggest, gushiest hug ever?"

"Yes, yes!" laughed Alia.

"Alia? Come on in. It's time for breakfast."

Alia sat down for breakfast. "Mom?"

"Yes, Alia?"

"The secret. It came true, like I told you, Mom. He was here, and Mom, his heart is so big, and we all live in his heart. Did you see him, Mom? Did you see him?" asked Alia.

Elraya looked at her daughter and smiled. "I don't see him. I don't see him like you do. I want to. Will you show me how?"

Alia smiled happily. "I will, Mom. I'll show you and Dad and Grandpa. Mom, he is so beautiful, it just makes me want to dance!"

Elraya said, "I feel like dancing, too. Let's dance our happy dance!"

"Yes, let's dance, the secret came true!"