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Gluey Gus has completed the brick wall around his heart. Nothing gets to him. He’s strong, invulnerable, tough. Gluey Gus always gets the job done.

Gluey Gus believes he’s making the right choice – the realistic choice. It’s a dog eat dog world out there, and you’ve got to be tough if you want to survive.

Gluey Gus sees Mushy Mel beginning to unbrick her heart.

“Mel,” asserts Gus, “You’ll be eaten alive. You’ve got to be tough if you want to survive.”

“Gus,” gushes Mel, “It’s a wonderful thing! My heart is still shining and she wants to sing.”

“Mel,” replies Gus, “Be mundane, not a mystic. You’ve got to come back here and be realistic.”

“Gus,” declares Mel, “I just want to be free. I’ve been who I must, and that’s not the real me.”

“Mel,” replies Gus, “I can hear your frustrations. But you’ve got to admit that you have obligations.”

“Gus,” protests Mel, “I am falling apart. I cannot continue to brick up my heart.”

“Mel,” replies Gus, “I don’t mean disrespect. But it’s your tender heart I intend to protect.”

“Gus,” defends Mel, “I’m protected too much. These bricks block my heart; she and I have lost touch.”

“Mel,” replies Gus, “You will feel so much pain. It’s safer to live way up here in your brain.”

“Gus,” answers Mel, “I will feel so much more. It’s worth all the pain to reopen this door.”

“Mel,” replies Gus, “I will spare you my rant. But here is my two-word summation: You can’t.
You can’t live like that, Mel, you simply cannot. You’re being too sensitive; too overwrought.
I tried to use reason but you won’t relent. Your ‘beautiful heartsong’ will not pay the rent.”

As Gus rants along in his rant against Mel, his heart breaks a brick and peeks out of its shell.
He carries on ranting, but unsticks his glue. His heart interjects a few words that are true:

“I’ve got to keep spewing this verbal abuse, ’cause if I didn’t fight you, I’d have no excuse.
I’d have no excuse for my own wall of bricks. So I’ve got to keep saying ‘You can’t’ till it sticks.
I can’t let you go. I can’t simply leave it. I fight ’cause I’m trying so hard to believe it.”

Gus gapes aghast at the truth he has spoken. He quietly whispers to Mel, “Am I broken?”

“No,” answers Mel, “You are finally whole. You’ve unbricked your heart and uncovered your soul.”

“Mel,” stutters Gus, “Why’d I wait all these years? If only I’d known- ” And he breaks down in tears.

Mel opens her arms. They embrace, cry, and grin. It isn’t the end, but instead

The Begin

• i am not green
• overarching trend toward compassion
• Ian Danskin on paradigm glue

Thanks for listening to The Dervish and the Mermaid! If you enjoyed this episode, please review us on iTunes and send your friends to PaceSmith.com.

That’s also where you can download my free ebook, Find Your Path Now. It’ll help you stop living on autopilot and start living a wholehearted, intentional life.