The Granary

Our farm had many outbuildings. There was the big red barn. It housed the cattle, various live stock and the Hay, Straw and feed. There was also the chicken coop. It did precious little to inhibit the various predators who exhibited amazing skill at gaining access to dinner in the form of our hens. There was also a granary.

This building had a main room, with two long halls running down the length of both sides. These halls would be filled with field corn. The happy home of many a rat and mouse. There was a second floor to the granary that was accessed by a ladder peaking up through a small square hole. I lived for several years on the farm oblivious to the second floor. 

As I became an adolescent, I became curious about the ladder. I climbed up and discovered that the second floor was empty save a long conveyor belt and a large square window at the opposite end of the floor. The only other thing that filled that room was sunlight. Glorious golden sunlight. It filled that room with a radiance that mesmerized me. And when I saw it, it filled me up.

I had found my place. My quiet place, which I would frequently escape to. I would climb the ladder, sit with my back against the wall and drink in that sunlight until I was intoxicated. It is still intoxicating, though only seen through my minds eye.