"Arthur, wake up." Arthur's closed eyelids twitched for a moment until he realized someone or something was talking to him. He knew he had fallen asleep in his bed and his home was empty. He forced his heavy eyelids to open to the sound of the second, "Wake up!" Arthur eyes flutter as he realized he was no longer laying in his bed and he was not in his home.
A canopy of leaves and branches blanketed above where he lay. Arthur set up startled by the land that surrounded him. He focused his eyes to make sure his eyes were seeing this dwelling correctly. A dim enchanted forest, with hints of sunlight streaking through the gaps of space the blanket of leaves, and limbs were unable to cover.
"Arthur, you finally made it." The petite voice called from a short distance away. "We have been waiting for you."
Arthur scanned the forest to see where this voice was coming from. He still could not figure out who or what was speaking to him. He sat still listening to see what direction the voice may have resided from, but nothing.
"Down here, I'm down here." The petite voice finally spoke after moments of Arthur listening to the sounds of the forest.
On the forest floor sat a small animal of some kind, staring up at Arthur. This creature can't be speaking to me, could it? Only a foot from where Arthur sat crouched a small squirrel with the fluffiest tail Arthur had ever seen. Much fluffier than the squirrels that scanter around his yard. Something too about this forest, it seemed almost fairytale-like.
"Where am I?" Arthur yells out hoping the mysterious voice would answer.
"The eternal forest." The squirrel answers.
Still surprised at the fact that an animal was speaking to him, he ignored the rodent and asked the forest again. "Where am I?"
The squirreled scampered across Arthur's legs and traveled onto his lap. The squirrel looks up and says a little louder, "The eternal forest I say."
"How did I get here?" Arthur asked. "How are you able to speak? You are an animal. Am I dreaming?" Arthur rubs his temples hoping he was just imagining. "Where is this place?"
"The eternal forest. The eternal forest lies within you. You are the eternal forest. It isn't a place, it is you! The inner thought of you." The squirrel raises his hand to display the beautiful forest for his newfound friend. "You can call me Stan." Stan smiles holding his tiny hand out as an introduction.
"And might I ask…Who are you?" Arthur leans in to get a closer look of this creature that has infiltrated his sleep.
"I am your understanding. Get it, Stan. Under- STAN-d." Stan smiles then elaborates. "I was chosen to guild you through the eternal forest. You chose me." Stan paces Arthur's legs and explains. "Okay I'll explain…Arthur, remember that cartoon, The Sword and the Stone? You know the Disney one. It was the last animated film released by Walt Disney before his death." Stan scratches his head. "You loved it as a kid. Probably because your name is Arthur." He babbled still scratching his head puzzled.
Arthur chuckles. "I did always imagine myself as that kid."
"Good, good that will help me explain." Stan stands tall and begins to clarify. "You imagined being that kid, right? How about the squirrel in the cartoon? Who or what did you imagine him to be?" Stan stared his beady eyes up at Arthur with both hands tucked behind his back.
"Well, no one really. The squirrel was the wizard, Merlin. I think he just explained what was happening to kid. Helped him understand his purpose I suppose."
"Exactly." Stan slaps his hand on his furry rodent leg. "That is exactly why I am here and why I am a squirrel. I'm here to help you understand your purpose." Stan beams. "I wasn't quite sure myself why I was a squirrel…" Stan rolls his fluffy tail around the base of his body and begins grooming his tail. "But it is kind of a nice change I suppose. I love nuts, trees and…"
Arthur interrupts. "So you are my understanding? I don't understand."
"Ha-ha of course you don't." Stan slaps his leg again. "I'm much smaller than you." He hoots grinning. "Get it under-Stan-d." Stan sobers with genuine voice and pointer finger in the air. "First lesson of understanding, you have to have a good sense of humor."
Arthur began to raise himself from the forest ground. "So you are telling me, you are my understanding. You are a rodent and I have to accept the fact that I chose you?"
"Rodent- a gnawing mammal of an order that includes mice, squirrels, rats, etc. They constitute the largest group of mammals, about forty percent I believe. Besides the fact we are so adorable." Stan wraps fluffy tail around his torso and bats his eyes.
"Gnawing is right." Arthur mumbles as he brushes the leaves from his pant leg. "Help me understand this then, why am I here?"
"It is your time…"Stan solemnly bows his head with his petite hands folded in front of him. A silent moment passes.
Stan eagerly grins as he rubs his hands together. "To find your purpose! You see, everything here in the eternal forest, is within you, part of you. The eternal forest goes on and on, there isn't ever an end or a beginning. The possibilities of you are infinite!"
Stan crawls up Arthur's body and hunkers, then whispers. "But stay away from the dark side of forest. That is where your fears, failures, false pretenses have grown." Stan returns to the floor of the forest, circles Arthur's feet. "Scary place really."
"My fears? My failures? My false pretenses?" Arthur asks.
"Trees of many types have grown; they have consumed that section of the forest. Those trees have blocked the light and no new seeds can grow. If your purpose is there…" Stan's ceremonial voice announced. "We are in trouble…" Stan softly mutters.
"Can't I change that part of me?" Arthur perplexes the thought.
"You can!" Stan raises his finger and begins to explain his idea. "We can make our own light!" Stan paces a moment looking at the flowers that were growing along the forest floor. He finds a daisy just beneath the oak tree. He picks the flower up, nuzzles his nose within the center of it.
"How can we change it?" Arthur demands.
Stan raises his head from the flower. "Take branch from each of the trees, put them in a pile and start a campfire. A campfire will bring light when your forest is dim and darkened." Stan ogles.
"There is no way to light the campfire. Don't tell me we have to rub two sticks together." Arthur observes.
Stan drops the daisy, pulls out a match from behind his back, in his best Robin Hood impersonation of retrieving an arrow to shoot from his bow.
"Where did that come from?" Arthur asks.
"You will always find a way to bring light to the darkened areas of the eternal forest. When you trust and have faith in your own under-STAN- ding." Stan grins. "Get it?"