What had I done wrong? Was it real? In a flash, I traversed the universe and felt enveloped in serenity once again. This time it was as if I could see without eyes. I perceived an ethereal mist and a lush, life-filled place awaited me. My energy merged with that of a golden-white glowing essence---one of complete love and absolute safety. Filled with bliss, I knew I was going home at last. Yet before I could cross the threshold into my true home, I also knew that I must return. Something unspoken filled my awareness and in seconds (as if time can be measured at these levels), I was being drawn backwards. I perceived flashes of light swirling quickly by. They were like tiny electrodes of information that contained scenes from my life. A vacuum-like suction swooped me directly from that safe haven and I woke to my father?s face bent over me. He was shaking me violently, saying, ?Get up! Get up now!? They had been calling me for half an hour and I hadn?t moved. ?If you don?t get up now, we will call the hospital and your parole officer will know that you have been using!? I felt as if I had been shot back to some kind of hell, disconnected from the light. My dad?s nostrils flared with the smoky haze of his cigarette. He paced adamantly, ?Get up,? he commanded, when he saw my eyes open. Somehow I was sentenced to live with this family and it felt so foreign to me. Oh, what a task it was to move. My body felt paralyzed initially, as if it were filled with lead. As disconcerting as it was to return to this world, I knew what I had to do. I dragged my sandbagged legs across the floor and reached up to tear a pot leaf poster off the bedroom wall. My dad stood incredulous. His mouth dropped open in disbelief, his eyes widened. ?Do you want me to get rid of this?? he asked. I nodded and proceeded to rip down another black light poster of Uncle Sam giving the finger. My dad just shook his head and muttered, ?Unbelievable.? I could feel his heart lifting as my body grew lighter with every movement.