[With all the talk lately of trains and such, this came to me. With a wink and a nod to Candace, Rosie, Johan, Jess, Eve, Hazel, dogpoet, and all the rest of you Spiritual Warriors out there who are onboard {and too numerous to mention, for which i apologize} and on track...and those on other tracks...and those who are off-track....i humbly offer this overly long and winding (for which i also apologize) or is that longwinded {?} personal vision.....Love and Light to you all = kibo]

Trains, Planes and Cars......

Actually, this is more about trains......i am on a train of thought.....

I AM seeing...
What I am looking at is a number of trains on a number of tracks on a number of planes, all heading to a central destination of inevitable and unavoidable impact. The resulting energy that will be released from such an epic crash will change forever reality as we know it or think of it.

When you think of train tracks, you always think of them on the ground and being horizontal to the ground...not in this case. There are lines coming in, in geometrically angled planes from all over this universe and beyond. This is a train wreck that will be studied for millions of years as to just how such a thing had to be brought to fruition in the first place and why the various engineers and passengers failed or refused to stop before the central cosmic event that looms before us all, coming closer and closer and appearing faster and faster, reached its definite and legendary point.

For many this is a foregone conclusion and for some, it is a thing already happened. We, who are in the experiencing of it, must still finish up this wild ride and those of us that have looked out of the windows to see what lies ahead, have already figured out that maybe now would be a good time to fasten the seatbelts, if there are any, relax for impact and synchronize our breathing to the beat of a tune that is all but played out as it reaches the crescendo of it’s final chords...

On track one: You have God/PAPA Himself running the Ascension Special at a comfortable pace like Hank Reardon on newly laid tracks created from His own miracle metal. He’s got a doohickey that will surprise everybody when the time comes, so He’s in no hurry. All the calculations have been made, checked and double-checked and everyone will arrive at the same time as long as they keep doing what they’re doing at the speed and from the distance of where they are now. The passenger list varies among the people that know how to board. This train doesn’t stop for anything and getting onboard takes a special talent, a certain... je ne sais quoi...how do you say?....a twilight zone state of mind....a state of being.....to have it is to find your place, your seat, your compartment.....hold onto your ticket with your very life. To lose it is to get off just like you got on.

There are no groups on this train, only individuals. So some people are newly arrived and some have been riding this train forever. There are also those in between. Some people pop in and out, or off and on, like they either don’t really know where they are or they don’t believe where they are. Some people just can’t make up their minds whether they want to be there or not. Like Neo waiting at the station, they are faced with a God that doesn’t look like they imagined, or acts like they imagined and that makes them afeared that they’re on the wrong train. Maybe they are. Not because it’s the wrong train, but because it’s the wrong train for them. Hey, to each his own.....
The conductor’s a pleasant, no nonsense kind of guy that just smiles at you and punches your ticket every time you find your way back on after getting kicked off by your own lack of attention...drawing paper and crayons would help me a lot but what can you do? You can't take it with you...no luggage, no carry ons.......no sleeping....there are other rules, but you should get it by now. If you don’t, you’re just about to find out how wrong you are for this train...good luck with that...

On track two: and from the opposite direction, there is a luxury train of the rich, powerful and clueless, all being served and waited on hand and foot by pale, zombie, porters that smile and think that having your hand spit upon is actually a tip. The engineer is singing and living out the words to ‘Casey Jones’ and either he hasn’t noticed or doesn’t care that the brakes on this thing broke coming around the mountain on to the straightaway to kingdom come, so he hasn’t called it into the back to let them know. The guys in the back are still making plans like everything’s fine and they still expect to make it across the junction with no problem and arrive at the paradise boomtown that they paid for with the sweat and blood and souls of more zombies that are still working away, not realizing that their new kingdom is smack dab in the middle of what is about to become Hallelujah Central. No one has bothered to look out the window to see what’s really going on because...well...fresh air would kill everything.....
The conductor is busy getting his jollies off of the passengers and zombies alike. The whole train is barreling down the line at breakneck speed that’s overloading the boilers and either she’ll blow when she gets there, or maybe before...but one way or the other, she’s gonna blow.

On track three: On the perpendicular track to the left and close enough to see everything, there is a long row of cars filled to overflowing with the most willing, darkest, most satanic, selfish, evil little Lucifer worshipers this side of Paradise. They don’t all know each other. Heck, some of them think they’re the only ones on the train. They don’t care that the train is going to hell in a handbasket because that’s what it said on the tickets when they paid for them. Call it Hellbound. This is a one way trip and they’re taking it with all the gusto that they can! This train is so heavy that it can barely move, but it too, will arrive at precisely the same moment as its opposing counterpart. This train has no engineer, just a failing autopilot. The conductor is a spy who intends to jump ship at the last moment to board another train...he’s the only one smart enough not to want to be on this train where and when it is guaranteed to end up.

On track four: Is the opposing counterpart to the number three train. It is also on autopilot with no engineer. The conductor on that train is also a spy that is about to jump to another train. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be on the train. It’s just that he doesn’t want to be with the people on the train. Like their cousins on the other train, many are totally unaware of the other passengers...or other cars or compartments for that matter. Those that are aware usually end up fighting with each other over who has the right to be on the train in the first place. Trust me, while there’s singing and dancing of sorts on both trains, there’s way more violence on this one...guess we’ll call it The Salvation Special. It’s also overflowing with passengers of every religious and new age assortment, but their feet are hardly on the ground which makes the whole train so lightweight it can barely gain any traction. It’s moving just as slowly as the other...but they know they are close....to whatever they think it is. They can feel it and they’ll make it happen if they have to....

Track five: Coming from straight above is a cosmic train of galactic proportions screaming down from the stars themselves. Call it The Phoenix. These are people on a mission straight from the Word of the Engineer of train one [hey, never say that He doesn’t have all his bases covered]. The engineer of this train has to wear sunglasses just to cover the glare of the light as the train hits the atmosphere. Every car is filled with focused, dedicated workers that are there to get the job done and make sure that all the other trains are up to their intended speed. It’s a huge job, but somebody’s got to do it.

Track six: Coming up from directly below are the co-workers of train five, The Blazing Star. Moving more like an energy pulse up a huge tube, this train, if you can call it that, is there to make sure that the big bang goes directly to where it’s intended to go...nothing escapes their notice. Even if they arrive early, they can afford to wait. All they have to do is be there...nobody’s late on this shift.

Of course, there are tangent vectors and quadrants of known unknowns coming at 45 degree angles in every direction, for instance, there’s one called The Comet and another called The Energizer. There’s one called The Cosmic Wave, but some say that’s on track one....I’m not so sure. I prefer to call that one The Ascension Special...but that’s me...there’s definitely something special about it that defies all descriptions and definitions...soooooo.......but like i said...that’s me....

Then there are, i’m sure = at least several unknown unknowns and as soon as i know about any of them, i’ll let you know....maybe you can let me know...

All of this is headed towards a spot that is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence, yet the resulting energy/force will create a whole new world out of it....a real big bang......

I’m doing everything I can to be on train one, track one. It ain’t easy. You have to stay focused and accept that you are where you are and it is what it is and there are no questions asked simply because it doesn’t do any good to ask them. The conductor always says ‘Soon’ and sticking your head out of the window to look and see is distracting. Distraction makes you lose focus and *poof!* there you are trying to get back on...Trust me, I know this from experience and all i want to do now is get on, stay on and keep my mouth shut....maybe trade knowledge with the other passengers...it helps to talk knowledge...research and development...how you got your ticket...how you got thrown off...how you got back on...and trade advice on how to stay on. We all know where we’re going and what’s going to happen when we get there. We know we’ll get there when we get there and when we get there we’ll be there and being there is everything so what’s to talk about? Just keep your mind on where you’re at and why and be the journey....beeeeeee the journey...learn from it...there’s nothing better to do and you get tired of being thrown off and trying to get back on....stay on the train...stay on track...track one...stay on track one.....sigh....just be on the train...don’t ask ‘Are we there yet?’...read the signs...think about the journey....tell yourself: I’m here, that’s all that matters.......i’m here, where i need and want to be...
Thank God!

And i hear the engineer blow the whistle...’You’re Welcome! No problem!.....Thanks for riding!'

I wonder if i can get a job on this thing! Bet that would help keep me on!.......hmmmm......Boss?

Candace: And here is the ballad of Casey Jones as published on my forum. Enjoy.

BALLAD OF CASEY JONES
(Written: Wallace Saunders / Adapted: Eddie Newton and T. Lawrence Seibert) - 1909


(Note: This version of the song was performed by the Grateful Dead in 
concert, but should not be confused with their song by the same name)


Come all you rounders if you want to hear
The story of a brave engineer
Casey Jones was the rounder's name....
ome all you rounders if you want to hear
The story of a brave engineer
Casey Jones was the rounder's name
On the "six-eight" wheeler, boys, he won his fame
The caller called Casey at half past four
He kissed his wife at the station door
He mounted to the cabin with the orders in his hand
And he took his farewell trip to that promis'd land

Chorus:
Casey Jones--mounted to his cabin
Casey Jones--with his orders in his hand
Casey Jones--mounted to his cabin
And he took his... land (last line of each verse)

He looked at his water and his water was low
He looked at his watch and his watch was slow
He turned to his frieman and this is what he said
"Boy, we're going to reach Frisco, but we'll all be dead"
He turned to the fireman, said "Shovel on your coal
Stick your head out the window, see the drivers roll
I'm gonna drive her til she leaves the rail
For I'm eight hours late by that Western Mail"

Chorus: Casey Jones--I'm gonna drive her
Casey Jones--til she leaves the rail
Casey Jones--I'm gonna drive her
For I'm eight...

When he pulled up that Reno hill
He whistled for the crossing with an awful shrill
The switchman knew by the engine's moan
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones
When he was within six miles of the place
There No. 4 stared him straight in the face
He turned to his fireman, sai "Jim, you'd better jump
For there're two locomotives that are going to bump.

Chorus: Casey Jones--two locomotives
Casey Jones--going to bump
etc.

Casey said just before he died
"There're two more roads I would like to ride"
The fireman said "Which ones can they be?"
"O the Northern Pacific and the Santa Fe"
Mrs. Jones sat at her bed a sighing
Just to hear the news that her Casey was dying
"Hush up children, and quite your cryin'
For you've got another poppa on the Salt Lake Line
..........


*****


BALLAD OF CASEY JONES 
(Alternate Traditional version) 


Come all you rounders for I want you to hear
The story told of a brave engineer;
Casey Jones was the rounder's name
On a heavy six-eight wheeler he rode to fame.

Caller called Jones about half-past four,
Jones kissed his wife at the station door,
Climbed into the cab with the orders in his hand,
Says "This is my trip to the promised land."

Through South Memphis yards on the fly,
He heard the fireman say, "You've got a white-eye,"
All the switchmen knew by the engine's moans,
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones

It had been raining for more than a week,
The railoraod track was like the bed of a creek.
They rated him down to a thrity mile gait,
Threw the south-bound mail about eight hours late.

Fireman says, "Casey, you're runnin' too fast,
You run the block signal the last station you passed."
Jones says, "Yes, I think we can make it though,
For she steam much better than ever I know."

Jones says, "Fireman, don't you fret,
Keep knockin' at the firedoor, don't give up yet;
I'm goin' to run her till she leaves the rail
Or make it on time with the south-bound mail."

Around the curve and a-down the dump
Two locomotives were about to bump.
Fireman hollered, "Jones, it's just ahead,
We might jump and make it but we'll all be dead."

'Twas around this curve he saw a passenger train;
Something happened in Casey's brain;
Fireman jumped off, but Casey stayed on,
He's a good engineer but he's dead and gone--

Poor Casey was always all right,
He stuck to his post both day and night;
They loved to hear the whistle of old Number Three
As he came into Memphis on the old K.C.

Headaches and heartaches and all kinds of pain
Are not apart from a railroad train;
Tales that are earnest, noble and gran'
Belong to the life of a railroad man.