She was the shining ingot of Grace. Beauty walked with her upon whispering feet like the sublime spectacle of water plunging down a mountainside. There was a presence within her quiet beckoning stare that was as compelling as the voice of thunder. Follow me, she sang from every treetop. Even without the yellow robe I would have been certain that she was adept in the ways of the Spirit. I could do nothing but follow.

At first it seemed that she sought no path, but as we continued through the forest I began to notice that the way before us was surprisingly clear. The trees seemed to step back and bow to her shocking presence. I had not known forests to possess such reverence for the Divine. There was much to be learned in these careful footsteps.

As I set my mind upon that dazzling yellow robe it was easy to follow. But it was not long into the day before I began wondering about our destination. For where could this wondrous journey end? I stumbled once. Twice. I paid no attention. I began to speculate from where she might have come. Was it mere chance that we had come together like this? Then suddenly the path before me was barred. She walked on unperturbed beyond a tremendous thicket of brambles. I could discern no way through! To call out to her now would be perverse in the extreme, so I endeavoured to go around. I kept one cautious eye on that yellow robe as I circumvented the thicket.

The thicket had been frustratingly large. She had gone ahead a considerable distance, but I could still see a tiny patch of yellow through the trees. Single-mindedly I fixed upon it and made my way anew. Suddenly the forest seemed uncooperative; I fought hard to reach that blazing yellow blot. Eternity seemed to press down upon my chest as I gained the tiniest piece of ground upon my goal. But still the yellow patch was infinitesimally small beckoning from the far reaches of my own sanity. Then quite abruptly I had arrived. The spot of confounding yellow was at my feet. It was a single yellow tulip.

I had made a mistake! I had lost her. My despair was complete and unyielding. I began to weep. For how long my tears fell upon the yellow tulip I do not know. It did not matter anymore. She, who was the ray of morning light of Heavens ascending, was gone. I had failed, and the price for my failure would be exacted by the forest— these giant dispensers of quiet justice— the trees would take my lost flesh. I would never escape this one mistake. All this because of a single yellow tulip! My eyes cast hatred upon those fragile petals. Deceiver! I wept again. The yellow cup of the tulip overflowed with my tears. And finally once I had gathered enough composure to curse the flower again, I looked closely within that tiny, still pool. My own distorted face glowered back at me. Deceiver! it shouted. I was stunned.

Suddenly I knew the true nature of my mistake. As I gathered the fragments of this essential insight, fresh spring laughter burst from my heart. The woman in the yellow robe had never left me! This beautiful yellow tulip would never leave me! I bowed to the tulip, gave it a gentle kiss, and walked away...