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"Hello, Sadness," said Peace. "How's your day going to go today?"
"Oh, you know. I'll probably look at things in my life that don't fill me with joy. Probably, wallow in the shallow end of the pool, dreaming about diving to new depths, and then list all the reasons I can think up that won't allow me to do that. I'll stay in the shallow end and remain sad."
"Interesting," said Peace. "Wasn't that how you spent yesterday?"
"Yes," said Sadness. "It's how I spend most of my days."
"So, it's a habit?" asked Peace without any note of judgement.
"I guess," murmured Sadness, feeling a little confused.
"Hello, Confusion," said Peace. "How're things?"
"Ummm! I'm not really sure," said Confusion distractedly.
"Interesting," mused Peace. "I wonder why that is."
"Yeah, me too. I was sitting here, and suddenly, everything seemed to shift. It was very strange."
Confusion sat looking perplexed, and then as if by magic, he pulled on a prickly-looking tunic. "I really don't know what happened. I was thinking about diving into the depths of the deep end," He breathed in quickly.
"Are you okay, Confusion?" Asked Peace noticing the subtle changes in Confusion's tone, as well as the prickly tunic.
"No! I don't want to go to the deep end. What if I go under the water? What if I can't breathe?" Hyperventilating, Confusion disappeared and Anxiety showed up in his place.
"Anxiety, is that you?" asked Peace.
Anxiety didn't notice Peace asking the question. She was wide-eyed but unseeing.
"Can I make a suggestion, Anxiety?" Peace paused and lay a calm hand on Anxiety's shoulder.
"What?" Anxiety breathed out. "What?" A little more panic in her voice.
"How about we take off this prickly tunic." Peace gently supported Anxiety, while helping her remove the tunic. "And, Anxiety?"
"Yes?" Anxiety gazed at Peace.
"Where are you?"
Anxiety looked around her and felt the warm water. "I'm in the shallow end," she blinked. Noticing where she was, she sighed.
Peace now returned to the present moment, and smiling swam towards the deep end. After all, she had worked through her sadness, her confusion and her anxiety. She was ready.