Soulflake: An Allegory for All Ages

Ian didn’t understand that he was a soulflake until Lucia told him so.  Until then he thought he was just an ordinary flake.  That was only the first of many lessons Lucia would teach him that would change his life forever.

Part One:  

A Quest for Peace

The globe where Ian lived was enormous and full of flakes—billions of them falling, drifting, swirling, and landing randomly across the land. Most flakes enjoyed life in the globe for many years, while others had much less time.  Wiser flakes said that how long a flake lived in the globe was not as important as how well one lived there. All flakes understood that, sooner or later, their melting day would arrive.  Until then, they each needed to decide how to spend their lives in the globe as best it could.

There were plenty of wonderful things to do living in the globe. The younger flakes went to school and played games with their friends.  Older flakes found work, started families, and searched for meaning and purpose. Ian had finished his schooling and found meaningful work caring for sick and wounded animals, but he wasn’t ready to start a family yet. First, he needed to find something else—his sense of peace.

Ian already had a peaceful life on the outside. He came from a loving family, lived in a friendly town, and got along well with most other flakes.  The peace that he was missing was on the inside.  Even though everyone who knew Ian considered him a very good flake, he still struggled with guilt and worry about not being good enough.  There was a voice inside his mind always scolding him for his mistakes, imperfections, and occasional failures. And even though Ian was a very caring flake toward others, the voice would still accuse him of being selfish.  Ian did his best to please his inner voice by working harder, being more careful, and putting other flakes ahead of himself.  Some of his friends would tell him that he was too kind for his own good, though he wasn’t sure what they meant by that. He was also confused because, no matter how hard he tried to be responsible, caring, and selfless, the voice was never satisfied—so he could never find peace.

On one of Ian’s days off from work, he went for a hike alone in the woods, something he liked to do when he had important things to think about. On this occasion, his sadness was so great that he cried out, “Please help me find peace!” He didn’t know who he was asking or if anyone would hear him. He was just letting his heart speak for itself.  

It was nearing dark as Ian approached the end of his hike. He was looking forward to having tacos for dinner and going to bed early. But that was not to happen. Ian heard a roar beginning in the distance that was growing louder and closer. All of a sudden he was swept up into the air by a powerful wind that  swirled him about all through the night. It was not until the following morning that his flake came to a gentle landing in an unfamiliar forest. Ian was exhausted and scared from his ordeal.  Lucky for him, there was a cozy-looking house nearby, with smoke rising from its chimney, warm light glowing within, and the delicious aroma of baked goods wafting through the air. Lost, tired, hungry, and scared, Ian had no choice but to knock on the stranger’s door and hope for help.

Greeting Ian at the door was an older female flake, her beauty shining through her smile and gleaming eyes. Her sweet voice sounded as though it came from a warm heart as she uttered, “Hello, my name is Lucia. You are clearly lost and cold, so please come in. You’re just in time to join me for some breakfast.” Ian’s feelings of worry about being lost were quickly replaced with great relief.  “Thank you so much, I would be most grateful. My name is Ian, and I landed here after a powerful windstorm tossed me around throughout the night.”

Lucia escorted Ian into a room warmed by a wood stove and furnished with large, comfy chairs and a sofa. A black cat lay on a blanket, right where the stove’s heat met the morning sunlight that was streaming through a large window. “That’s Rhonette,” said Lucia. “She’ll keep you company while I fetch us some hot muffins and cocoa.”

As Ian waited, he admired—and envied—the look of peace and satisfaction on Rhonette’s face.  That’s how I would like to be able to feel, he thought to himself. 

When Lucia returned with the muffins and cocoa, she suggested, “Let’s enjoy these while they’re warm and afterwards we can talk.”  The muffins and cocoa were delicious and comforting.  After devouring 3 of them, Ian said, “I can’t thank you enough, Lucia.  You’re an excellent baker and this is the best cocoa I’ve ever tasted.  How lucky I am to have landed at your door.”  

“You’re very welcome,” Lucia replied.  “Sometimes the globe mysteriously guides us to just the right place at just the right time. Tell me about yourself, Ian.”

“I come from the town of Stoddard where I grew up, went to school, and now work caring for sick and injured animals.  I live alone, but I have my family and good friends nearby,” Ian explained. “My life in the globe is good in so many ways, but for reasons I do not understand, I am missing a sense of peace,” he explained.  Ian was surprised that he had just shared something so personal with a perfect stranger, but there was something about Lucia that felt trustworthy.

“Isn’t it interesting,” Lucia responded, “how the life of a good flake such as yourself can be so fortunate on the outside but feel so poorly on the inside? Some of the nicest flakes I’ve known have felt the same way that you do. I used to feel that way myself, many years ago, until I discovered the reason and fixed the problem.”  

“Will you share with me what the reason was and how you fixed it, Lucia?”

“I would be happy to, Ian. The reason that most flakes lack inner peace is because they haven’t learned how to love themselves.”

"But growing up, I was taught that loving myself was selfish and that I should put caring for others ahead of caring for myself,” Ian answered.

“That’s what many young flakes are taught and it’s a very unfortunate mistake. We must learn to love ourselves properly so that we can be even more caring toward others. Taking care of our flakes, hearts, and souls is never selfish. It’s how we keep ourselves healthy. Your flake is very healthy Ian, but your heart and soul are troubled, which isn’t healthy,” Lucia explained. 

This response from Lucia made it clear to Ian that he was in the presence of a flake who was not only kind, but wise. He decided to tell her more. “I have a voice in the back of my mind that always scolds me—whether I make mistakes or fail to meet its expectations." It accuses me of being selfish and tells me I’m inferior in comparison to others.”  

“That doesn’t sound very loving, does it?” Lucia said. “This isn’t unusual at all for good flakes like you. Most of my life was spent as a doctor caring for the wounds and illnesses that all flakes suffer.  Even though I was highly respected by everyone who knew me, I too had a voice—just like yours—telling me I was never good enough. It was impossible for me to enjoy the kind of peace that we can clearly see Rhonette enjoying over there.” Ian smiled because he had just recently had the same thought.  “One day I got fed up and decided to talk back to my inner voice.  I directly asked her why she was never satisfied with me despite my hard work and generous care toward others.”

“Really?” Ian responded with surprise. “I never thought that I could speak back to my own inner voice. To me that would feel like talking back to the  principal for being late to school. What did your voice say when you questioned her?”

“My question led to a very interesting conversation, Ian. She told me that she cared for me deeply and only wanted the best for me. She said that, as my conscience, it was her job to make sure I was responsible, kind, and never to be selfish. She said that she was hard on me because she wanted me to be the best flake I could possibly be.”  

“So my conscience is just trying to help me?” Ian replied. “I suppose I can see that, but why does it have to make me feel so miserable?”

Lucia continued. “I told my conscience that I was grateful for her efforts to help me, by pushing me to do well in school, by becoming an excellent doctor, and by seldom being selfish. But then I asked her your same question: ‘In order to help me do you have to make me feel so miserable?’”  

“And what did your conscience say to you about that, Lucia?”

“She said that she was sorry for making me miserable but she was doing her best to help me in the only way she knew how. I told her that I understood, but then asked her if she would be willing to do her job with more kindness. To make a long story short, she agreed and eventually learned to guide me in more loving ways. This was how I found my inner peace, Ian. It made such a difference in my life that I decided to stop working as a doctor to the bodies of flakes and become a doctor to the souls of flakes—like yours. I learned that the health of a flake’s soul is just as important as the health of a flake’s body, and that having a healthy soul is good for the health of the body too.” 

“Would you teach me how to find this inner peace too, Lucia?”

“It would be my pleasure, Ian. Helping flakes find inner peace brings me great joy. Come back to visit me in another two weeks and I will begin teaching you the valuable secrets that I have learned over the years. But before we say goodbye, I’ll offer you the most important lesson to start with. Ian, you are far more than an ordinary flake. You are a soulflake.  And in order for your soul to be healthy and peaceful, you will need to learn how to love yourself.”

The Missing Piece of Peace

Ian’s first meeting with Lucia had given him much to think about. When the day arrived for their second meeting, he was filled with excitement and hope. He’d been trying to imagine how his life would be different if his conscience could be kinder to him.   

Once again Ian was greeted warmly by Lucia. “It’s so good to see you again, Ian! Please come in. Rhonette and I have been looking forward to your visit. Please make yourself comfortable in the sunroom with her and I’ll bring us fresh muffins and cocoa.”

Rhonette looked like she hadn’t budged an inch from her cozy nook in the sun and with the woodstove warming her. She was still the picture of peace. She briefly opened her eyes, stretched, and yawned, then promptly resumed her blissful nap. Lucia then returned with a fresh batch of muffins and hot cocoa.  

“Lucia, I’ve been thinking about what you said regarding the way my conscience makes me unhappy, and I would really like to change that, if possible.” 

“I’m glad to hear that, Ian, and it will be possible. Do you remember that your conscience wants the best for you?”

“I remember you telling me that, yes. And I see how it helps me, but it still makes me very unhappy,” he answered.

“Alright, then are you ready to talk with your conscience directly about that, Ian?”

“I’d like to, but the idea makes me nervous. I don’t want to make him more upset with me than he already is.”

“That’s normal, Ian. Most flakes are intimidated by the voice of their conscience because it's such a powerful voice of authority. So, your first lesson for today is to understand that your conscience is not your boss; it is a servant of your soul.”

This idea came as a great surprise to Ian. His conscience certainly sounded like a demanding boss. “How is my conscience a servant to my soul, Lucia?”

“The purpose of your conscience is to guide you through life in ways that serve your soul’s most important needs,” Lucia answered.

“What needs are those, Lucia? He certainly isn’t guiding my soul toward peace.”

“Peace, love, and joy are the most important needs of every soul. It’s what they need from the day they are created until the day they melt. But these blessings don’t come automatically. We need to learn how to seek them,” Lucia explained.

“I am eager to find more peace, love, and joy to my soul, Lucia. But how?”

“Here is where your conscience is confused, Ian. It is focusing more on what your flake needs to do to survive in the globe, stay out of trouble, and to get along with other flakes. That’s all part of his job. But the more important part of his job is to meet your soul’s need for peace, love, and joy. We’re not here in the globe simply to learn, work, and get along with others. Our souls need to find peace, love, and joy as well.” 

“So how does that happen, Lucia?”

“The part that is missing is your ability to love yourself, Ian. Your conscience has learned how to help you be responsible and caring toward others, but it has not learned how to love your soul.”

“But doesn’t loving ourselves make us selfish?” Ian asked.

“Not at all, Ian, and this is your next lesson:  Self love is not selfish. Do you feel selfish when you feed yourself?” 

“Of course not. I need to feed myself in order to stay healthy,” he said.

“That’s exactly my point—taking care of our health is never selfish. And your soul needs to be fed too. Love is the food that our souls need most.  But when your conscience uses anger and disapproval to guide you, does your soul feel loved by that?”

“No, it makes my soul feel disapproved of, and unlovable,” he answered.

“All flakes require guidance in order to behave properly in the globe, but that guidance needs to be provided with a loving spirit and with caring words. Your conscience hasn’t learned how to do that yet. The next time we meet, I will show you how you can teach your conscience to be more loving to your soul.”

A Heart-to-Heart with the Conscience

After another two weeks, Ian returned to Lucia’s home for his next lesson.  They repeated their routine of sharing hot muffins and cocoa. When Ian finished and placed his plate and mug aside, he was surprised to have Rhonette climb into his lap, as if she were entitled to rest wherever she pleased. This simple act brought a moment of joy to his soul, for it felt like Rhonette was showing him her love.

Ian began, “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you told me in our last visit, Lucia—that my conscience is a servant to my soul, not the boss of my life.”  

“You remember well, Ian. Your conscience is trying to teach you how to be more loving and responsible toward others. But now it is time for you to teach your conscience how to be more loving to your soul.”

“I’m ready.  How do I start?” he asked.

“Think about all the flakes in your life who have guided you in caring ways, Ian. Relatives, teachers, or maybe a coach. If you haven’t had someone like that in your life, you can think of a character in a book or a show who has a kind and loving voice. Take your time until you come up with a flake whose voice you would trust with care of your soul.”

Ian found this to be a great question, and he was determined to take his time before answering. Whose voice would he most like to have speak to his soul with love?  

“I have had many caring flakes in my life, Lucia, but my soul just sent me an image of my Grandflake Will, who sadly melted several years ago. He always made me feel loved and accepted. He was wise and offered me helpful advice when I made mistakes or felt confused. He would tell other flakes that it is better to teach and hold than to preach and scold. He never made me feel bad about myself. It was just the opposite. I always felt better about myself after spending time with him. He had a lot of peace, love, and joy in his soul. I miss him terribly.”

“Your Grandflake Will was clearly a loving man, Ian, and it sounds like a voice like his would be perfect for your soul to be loved and guided by. All flakes need someone like that in their lives to make them feel the way that he made you feel. Can you imagine what it would be like if the voice of your conscience sounded more like his?”

“That would be amazing, Lucia. But how can I change the voice of my conscience?”

“It will be easy to do as long as he agrees to it. So it’s time for you to have a heart-to-heart talk with him about it. All you need to do is close your eyes and use your imagination.” Once Ian closed his eyes, Lucia continued.  “Imagine visiting a place where you will meet your conscience for a friendly talk. See a place in your mind that brings your soul feelings of peace and joy. Now tell me what you’re seeing.”

“I see my favorite beach, where Grandflake Will used to take me. It’s a hot, sunny day with a gentle breeze. I can hear the waves rolling onto the beach and I can smell the seawater,” Ian answered.

“What a beautiful place you’ve chosen,” Lucia replied. “Now, imagine sitting side by side with your conscience as you face the water. Tell him how grateful you are for his devotion and service to you. Tell him that you see all the ways he has guided you to be responsible, kind, and caring toward others. When you’re done telling him these things, wait and listen for his reply.”  

Ian was quiet for a few moments while he imagined this conversation in his mind. “He thanked me for telling him that,” Ian finally said.

“Excellent, Ian. You’ve given your conscience respect by expressing your recognition and gratitude. This is one of the things you’ll be asking him to do for you as well. Now imagine telling him that he sometimes speaks to you in ways that make you feel sad, guilty, and bad about yourself. Then ask him if he can see how he does that.”  

Ian now imagined this part of their conversation. “He said yes, he does understand how he makes me feel these ways, but he says that he's only trying to help. He said the only way he knows how to guide me is to be strict.” 

“That’s understandable. He’s doing the best he can in the only way he knows how,” Lucia replied. “It’s wonderful that he’s listening and willing to talk with you about this. Let him know that you understand he’s doing his best he can with what he knows. Then ask him if he would be open to learning some kinder ways of serving your soul.”

It didn’t take long at all before Ian answered, “He said yes, but that he doesn’t know how to.”

“Wonderful.,” Lucia said. “Your conscience obviously cares about your soul.  Now, ask him if he remembers the way your Grandflake Will used to speak to you, and if he would be willing to learn to speak to you in similar ways.”  

After a moment Ian replied,  “He said that he would very much like to be more like Grandflake Will, if possible.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Lucia. “Now ask him if he’s willing to practice speaking to you in the same way that Grandflake Will used to.  All he has to do is imagine what Grandflake Will would say in any situation where you need some guidance.”  

“He said that he’s willing to try, but he’s afraid that he won’t be able to do it as well as Grandflake Will always did.”

“You see, Ian, even your conscience needs reassurance that it’s alright to be imperfect and make mistakes when new things are being learned.  So tell him that you understand that it will take him some time and practice. Tell him that it’s okay for him to make mistakes along the way, just like all flakes do whenever they’re learning new things. Reassure him that, as long as he’s willing to try, you will be patient and grateful for his efforts.  New skills and habits take time and practice to build, so your kind patience with him will help. Can you remember a time when your Grandflake Will taught you something with kind patience?”

“Yes, I can remember several times, like when he taught me how to swim, how to read, and how to ride a bicycle. I thought that all of these things would be hard, and I remember being nervous that I couldn’t do it. But he always stayed calm, patient, and he corrected me in gentle ways. I enjoyed having him as a teacher, and I eventually became very good at those things.”

“That’s perfect,” Lucia continued. “Now, tell him that when he makes mistakes, you’ll offer him gentle reminders to try again. Just as your soul needs understanding, gratitude, and reassurance, your conscience does too. If you want to teach your conscience to speak in more loving ways to your soul, then you must speak in loving ways to him too. Trust me, this will make him feel much better, and it will make him want to do the same for you. This is the best way to teach your conscience to be more loving!  Ask him what he thinks about that.”

Ian’s discomfort with his conscience was quickly being replaced by feelings of kindness toward him. It felt like a bully was turning into a friend, and this friend needed his help. “OK, Lucia, when I told him those things, he seemed to relax and answered that he would like to practice using his voice in more loving ways. I thanked him, and then we actually hugged!” 

“That’s delightful, Ian! Your conscience is welcoming your guidance to become a more loving voice to your soul!  Now there is another important thing that your soul will need from him, and that is approval. Did your Grandflake Will express his approval to you?”

“Yes, all the time. He would praise me whenever I did well in school, played soccer, or cleaned up my messes. Even when I didn’t do as well as I hoped, he would praise my efforts and my progress. Sometimes, he would just tell me I was a wonderful kid—for no reason at all. He made me feel loved no matter what.” 

“There’s a term for that, Ian. It’s called unconditional love, because there are no conditions required for it. I call it pure love because it is free from judgment and expectation. Your Grandflake Will had a very loving soul.  Now ask your conscience if he would be willing to practice expressing more approval like that to you.”  

This time Ian’s silence lasted a bit longer before he answered. “He said that he will. Then he told me that he was proud of the flake that I have become. He sees how much I care about other flakes, animals, and the environment, and how hard I try to do well. He told me that I have a beautiful soul and that it was a pleasure for him to care for it. His words of approval brought feelings of peace, love, and joy to my soul. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart.”

“How sweet,” Lucia said. “That was a beautiful heart-to-heart talk that you just had with your conscience, Ian. Your love toward him has given him an amazing start for him to become more loving toward you.”

Lucia instructed Ian to open his eyes and refocus his attention on her and Rhonette in the sunroom. “How are you feeling right now, Ian?”

“I feel great!,” he replied. “I already feel more peaceful and hopeful. I had no idea it was possible to speak with my conscience like that, or that it would be possible for him to become more loving. I also feel a lot of gratitude and joy right now. I’m grateful to him and I’m grateful to you.” 

 A Fond Farewell 

Lucia explained to Ian that he had been a delightful student who had successfully learned the lessons for peace that he was seeking. Ian felt bittersweet when she told him that their work together was complete and that it was time for their meetings to end. Full of gratitude and a hint of sadness, Ian trusted her wisdom, and they bid each other farewell with a long, satisfying hug. He then bent down to scratch Rhonette behind the ears the way she liked, and he told her that he would miss her too.  Rhonette purred and bid Ian farewell with a swing of her tail.

Ian’s inner voice soon began changing, just as Lucia had predicted. It wasn’t the same voice as Grandflake Will’s, but its spirit and messages were very similar. As this continued over time, Ian felt less worried,  guilty, and embarrassed about his mistakes and shortcomings. His conscience became more gentle and understanding when offering guidance and, just like Grandflake Will, shared messages of admiration and approval for his efforts and achievements. He felt more relaxed even when he was unsure of himself. On occasion, he would return to his imaginary beach to enjoy more heart-to-heart conversations with his conscience. Just as with Lucia, he could now share his troubles freely without fear of disapproval.  Sometimes their beachside conversations would help him to solve problems or make wise decisions. Other times their talks would simply ease the aches and pains of his soul. Because the voice had become much more loving, he decided to change its name to reflect his new kindness. From now on he would think of his conscience as his soul guide. Although the time had come to say farewell to Lucia’s loving voice, Ian now had the loving voice of his soul guide to take her place.

Part Two:

Revelations

Two more years passed since Ian had last met with Lucia. During that time, he had experienced more peace, love, and joy in his life and relationships than he imagined possible. Ian noticed that somehow his new inner love helped improve his interactions with others. The changes in his life were so meaningful to him that he decided it was time to pay his beloved teacher, Lucia, one more visit. He wanted to share with her all the benefits gained from her lessons and to express his deep gratitude to her. When he arrived at her doorstep and knocked, a younger woman he didn’t recognize answered and asked if she could help him.

“I was hoping to pay Lucia a visit. My name is Ian, and I’m a former student of hers just dropping by to say hello and express my gratitude.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Ian.  My name is Grace, and I am Lucia’s daughter.  I’m so sorry to tell you that my mother’s flake melted several months ago after a short illness. She suffered no pain and she was surrounded by her loved ones. Her melting was very sad, but was also full of peace and love.  I’m sorry that you didn’t have an opportunity to express your gratitude to her sooner.” Ian felt stunned by this terrible news. He told Grace how sorry he was for her loss, then offered her a short explanation of how much her mother had changed his life.  Grace thanked him, and then Ian parted for home. His heart ached as if he had lost his own dear mother. In many ways, Lucia had been a soul mother to him. He tried to comfort himself with the thought that, although her flake was gone, the benefits of her love and wisdom remained alive within his soul. 

The Reunion

Several weeks after learning of Lucia’s melting, Ian closed his eyes and returned to his inner beach to seek comfort for his grief. He was hoping that his soul guide would have something helpful to say. Instead, to his great and utter surprise, he was met there by someone else. There, in the sky above the shoreline, was Lucia’s beautiful, smiling face—beaming down upon him as if it were the sun itself. Ian’s heart filled with joy at the sight of her loving presence. If he could see her here, then maybe it would be possible to speak with her here in the same way she had taught him to speak with his soul guide. And so he dared to ask, “Lucia, can we talk?”

Lucia’s answer was immediate and enthusiastic. “Of course we can talk, Ian, that’s why I’m here! Just because my flake has melted doesn’t mean that my love for you is gone. You have kept my spirit alive in your soul, and that is why you are able to see and hear me now,” she explained. Ian’s heart felt another surge of joy. He could feel her love just as if they were together again in her sunroom with Rhonette. Lucia’s spirit remained alive within him, and he would now be able to continue their relationship even though her flake had melted!

“I’ve been missing you, Lucia, and I very much wanted to share with you the many ways your lessons changed my life. When I learned from Grace that you had melted, I was stricken with a deep sadness.  Are you alright?”

“I’m perfectly fine, Ian, thanks for asking. It was only my flake that melted, and its time had come. I enjoyed a long and wonderful life in the globe, but my flake became too weak, sick, and full of pain to continue. But my spirit remains alive inside all the souls that let me enter them, just as you have. You took a seed from my soul garden and planted it into your own soul garden. That seed has grown into the flower you’re seeing and hearing before you now. Our souls are now free to meet and talk whenever you like. So, now tell me how you’ve been!” 

“My life has been better than ever because of the lessons you taught me, Lucia. I now refer to my conscience as my soul guide because his voice gives me so much comfort, wisdom, and approval. I feel more peace, love, and joy, just as you said I would. I’ve learned to love myself without becoming boastful. People seem to like me even more than they did before. I’ve become more loving toward others, and I’m feeling more loved by them too. I am so grateful for all the things you taught me.”

“Thank you, Ian. Just as my words have brought your soul joy, your words are bringing joy to mine.”

“Lucia, now that we are able to meet like this and talk again, would you be able to help me understand the mysteries of what happens to our souls after our flakes melt?”

Lucia’s smile alone assured him that she would be.

The Soul Sea

"Ian had just asked Lucia his biggest question ever: What happens to our souls after our flakes melt? He felt both excited and nervous as he awaited her answer.

“Ian, you have just asked one of the most important questions that all flakes have, because melting is the greatest fear that all flakes feel. Many flakes believe in an invisible Globe King who created the globe and everything in it. It is said that the Globe King watches and evaluates every flake’s life, determining which souls will be accepted into paradise when they melt and which will be excluded. This belief brings comfort to many flakes, but for others it brings much guilt and worry. Many try to be as perfect as possible so that their souls will be accepted into paradise, and often their consciences are very hard on them because the worry is so great.”  

“I understand what you’re saying, Lucia. I know many flakes who fear they aren’t loving enough or that they’re too selfish to be accepted into paradise, even though they are some of the finest flakes I’ve ever met.   That’s why I stopped believing in the Globe King. But if there’s no Globe King judging which souls get to enter paradise, what really happens to our souls after we melt?” 

“Then let me put your worries to rest, Ian. I can assure you that you have nothing to fear about your melting day. When a flake melts, only the part that can be seen disappears, but our invisible souls live on.”

“But how? Where do they go, and what happens to them?” Ian asked.

“Think of it this way, Ian. Before becoming flakes, our souls exist together as one United Soul in a place called the Soul Sea. In the Soul Sea, there are no separations between souls, just as the separation between raindrops disappears once they return to the ocean. Then, every time there is a shake in the globe, separate flakes rise up from the Soul Sea and become scattered throughout the globe. This is how we part from the United Soul and temporarily become separated souls. And because our flakes end up with many different shapes, sizes, colors, beliefs, and types, we quickly forget that we once belonged to the same United Soul. Many flakes also forget that they have souls, because they are invisible and easy to lose touch with. They think of themselves only as flakes, not as soulflakes. But as soon as our flakes melt, our souls reunite with the United Soul in the great Soul Sea.”

“Is the Soul Sea the paradise that the Globe King sends good souls to after their flakes melt?”

“The Soul Sea is indeed a paradise, Ian, but not in the way many flakes think of it. What makes the Soul Sea special is that it contains nothing but that pure love I once told you about. This is where souls experience the greatest peace, love, and joy imaginable because there are no separations, conflicts, angers, or fears. There is no Globe King ruling over it, judging which souls are allowed to return and which are not. All souls are equally loved there, and therefore every soul is lovingly welcomed upon their return. All flakes in the globe misbehave in different ways at different times, yet their souls remain just as loved upon returning to the Soul Sea as they were before they left. Does that make sense, Ian?”

“I feel much better believing in your explanation and not having to worry about the judgment of a Globe King. I remember that as a young flake I was so worried about pleasing the Globe King that my conscience felt the need to make me perfect. Now, whenever I do something dumb or selfish, I no longer feel like I am unlovable. If my soul guide can still love and accept me for my imperfections, then surely the Soul Sea can too, right?”

“That’s an excellent way to think about it, Ian. That’s the nature of pure, unconditional love. The soul is always loved no matter how imperfect the flake. And there is only one rule that is important to the Soul Sea, which I will teach  you about now.

The Golden Rule

“You have heard of the Golden Rule, haven’t you, Ian?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Treat others with the same kindness that you want others to treat you with.”

“That’s right. But there’s more to the Golden Rule than most flakes understand. The reason for treating one another with the same kindness isn’t simply to be nice or fair. The real purpose of the rule is to remind us that every flake’s soul still belongs to the same United Soul.”

Lucia let that sink in for a moment before she asked, “How many points does your flake have, Ian?”

“Ten,” he answered.

“Okay then, what if all your points forgot that they all belonged to the same flake? What if they started competing with each other, or even fighting with each other? The Golden Rule reminds us that, just because we appear separate and different on the outside, we continue to belong to the same United Soul. Does that make sense to you, Ian?”

“I never thought of the Golden Rule in that way before, but now I understand it better. So, it means that loving other flakes is just another way of loving ourselves—is that right?”  

“That’s exactly right, Ian. It’s the same as wanting all of your 10 points to get along with each other because they all belong to your united flake, and you need them to work together in order for your soul to be at peace.”

Lucia continued. “This is the best way I can answer your question about what happens to our souls after our flakes melt, and what it teaches us about how to live our lives before they melt. We must treat one another’s souls with the recognition that they all belong equally to the same United Soul. Now, if you’re ready, I have one more lesson to teach you before we say farewell again. ”

Angelflakes

Ian couldn’t imagine what Lucia had in store for him next.  “What is this final lesson you have to teach me, Lucia?”

“Do you know what an Angelflake is?” she asked.

“I hear many flakes talk about them, but I’m not sure what to believe. Are you an Angelflake, Lucia?” 

“I am indeed!” she said. But that’s only because your soul chose my spirit to be an extra source of pure love to you when you need it. Here’s the difference between a soulflake and an Angelflake. A soulflake is a flake with a soul, and an Angelflake is a soul without a flake. When a flake melts, all its fears, confusions, and disapprovals disappear with it, leaving only the soul’s pure love to endure. Your soul can meet with any Angelflake whose love you want to feel again, perhaps like your Grandflake Will’s soul. All you need to do is picture him in your mind and ask him to love and communicate with you, just as we are doing now.” 

Lucia continued, “You have been enjoying your heart-to-heart talks with your soul guide, and now you can do the same with me, your Angelflake Will, or any other Angelflake that that your soul trusts. You can have as many Angelflakes as you like. There is no shortage of Angelflakes available to provide love to every flake in the globe.”

“I like this idea of Angelflakes very much, Lucia. But I worry that others will tell me that Angelflakes are just creations of our silly imaginations and aren’t truly real.”

“That is indeed what many flakes will say. But don’t worry about how real Angelflakes are, because the only thing that matters is how real our love feels to your soul. Nothing is more important than for your soul to receive love and guidance, just as you’ve learned to receive from your own soul guide. Whatever is real, and wherever it exists, is not what matters.  Likewise, it cannot be proven if, or where, the Globe King exists, but if flakes feel guided by His love, then that’s all that matters. Don’t let the beliefs of others interfere with any source of love that feeds your soul.”

“Angelflakes are not like genies that grant wishes,” Lucia continued.  “What we excel at is listening, understanding, and offering comfort, acceptance, and wisdom. Our spirits are full of compassion and always free from disapproval. You can tell us anything about your thoughts, feelings, mistakes, and troubles, and we will always respond with the pure love we have for you.”

“My soul is delighted to have you as an Angelflake, Lucia. I only wish I’d had you as my Angelflake when I was a young boy, feeling afraid and unlovable. Having you in my life now will surely bring my soul even more peace, love, and joy than ever.”

“Thank you, Ian.  You also continue to feed my soul with peace, love, and joy.  Come and see me anytime.”