A Place Like Alice

I can think of a few "Magical" words that must never be whispered, even in quiet places.

Words like, "Curious" and "Silence" and "Clever".

To utter these words, one feels the meaning resonate just like a song that reflects in the sparkle of the eye, the lilt in a voice, and the blush of a cheek.

What does it feel like to be on that other side of the Looking Glass just like Alice?

Alice is brave and curious.

I need to leave fear behind and be curious too.

I don't know of anyone who has been there and come back to tell the tale.

It must be so wonderful that no one ever wants to come back here. A place filled with Music and Games and Puzzles to Solve.

Is there a catch to it?

Is there a mystery just waiting to be solved?

Is Alice the one to solve it?

Alice looks straight into the Mirrors (yes, there are

lots of Mirrors, it's Alice's bedroom) and shouts a resounding

"YES!"

You go, Alice.

Go into that Looking Glass World and Explore.

Music plays in her world and mirrors on the ceiling, the walls and even the door!

Alice likes mirrors, as you know

Exactly what kind of girl is Alice?

She is curious. That's what!

Now let's see what kind of "trouble" Alice can get into in the Looking Glass World.

I envy Alice. She knows how to have fun!

The glass feels soft. Alice feels almost as if she can almost put her hand through the Looking Glass.

A mist creeps up around her as she steps forward into the Looking Glass World. She steps into another world of Illusion and Fantasy, leaving her world behind. This world is filled with Pinks, Blues, Gold and White and a backward image of the Real World she left behind. There is a lovely fire crackling in the fireplace. There is no one here to tell her that she can't stay. Even the Grandfather Clock that ticks so happily in her Real World Room is different here on the other side of the Looking Glass World.

There are Pictures on the Wall and the Eyes watch Alice and suddenly she hears a voice speaking. The Eyes of the Pictures are at this moment watching a very intense Chess Game going on in the middle of the room.

Every now and again one of the pictures would shout "Hooray!" for a Queen or Knight or King that had just made a move on the Chessboard.

What a Curious World this is.

On the table in the middle of the room a Chessboard with all the Game Pieces moving by themselves.

A game is going on but there are no people to play it. The Game Pieces are playing against each other. If she listens very carefully, Alice can hear the King and Queen directing the White Knight and Black Knight to move diagonally to protect them from the opposite "Army".

Alice is now in this Looking Glass World and she have never seen quite a World like this before.

She can't help but smile.

There are many mysteries to this room but the real mystery is that one must look in between the lines of the song book that is propped up on the Piano. She walks over to the Piano and start playing the lovely tune. Suddenly, the chess game stops.

Alice hears a shout from the King piece. "Stop that racket!"

"Who are you?"

"I am me.", Alice responds.

"Who are you? ", the King Piece repeats his question.

"I just told you."

"Come here." , the King piece demands Alice.

"Join our game. You must play Chess and save the Queen from being captured by the Black Knight."

"But I don't know how to play Chess.", Alice responds.

"Don't know how?" The whole Chessboard of Pieces laughs out loud.

"Why everyone with a brain knows how to play Chess and you claim you don't know how?", replies the King Piece.

"No, and how am I supposed save the Queen from the Black Knight? I never seen a Black Knight in my life.", Alice wonders.

"Play the game and find out!", the King replies.

"Oh, thanks for clearing that up. Not!"

"Alice, you sure are strange."

"No stranger than you are, King. And if you are so

smart, how come you can't win the game yourself?", Alice asks.

"Don't be a Smartie Pants, Alice. I am the King!"

"Sure you are, sure. Alice giggles.

"How did you get here?", asks the King Piece.

"Through the Looking Glass."

"Why did you come?"

"I was curious about your Beautiful World and I just had to be a part of it."

"To be a part of our Beauty and Looking Glass World you must play the game. Come join the Chess Pieces and win this game for us. If you beat the Black Knight, you shall be crowned the White Queen."

"Isn't there an easier way to save the Queen?"

"Well, yes, ummm, there is one way, but it won't save the Queen."

"How?"

"Never mind. You just play the game and if you make a mistake, the Game Pieces will scold you!", the King piece lectures on with a finger pointed directly at Alice.

"Oh Dear. I don't want to be scolded! I want to play Chess!", Alice replies.

"Let's play, then!", Alice says as she picks up the King and moves it randomly.

"Not there!", cried the Queen, covering her eyes.

"Why not?", Alice wonders,picking up the chess piece once again. The King still between her fingers.

"Why not move the King over there instead?", pleads the Queen Piece.

"Hey, you with the King Piece, bend down. I have a little advice for you?", whispers the Black Knight.

 "What do you want?"

"You know the Queen piece will say anything from being Check-Mated and she wants the game to go on and on. We have been playing this game for over a month now and I'm so bored! Can you help spice up the Chess Board and please Check- Mate this Queen?", whispers the Black Knight.

"How can I help?"

"You know what to do. Just pick up the King piece and put it exactly where the Queen piece doesn't want you to put it!", whispers the Black Knight."

"You are bad, Black Knight!", Alice whispers back with a sly grin on her face.

"Not bad. Just strategic.", the Black Knight replies, "Go for it, Alice!"

The Queen Piece is in sheer panic now with no where to go. She knows her Fate is sealed. "If you put the King in that spot, I shall be Check-Mated and the Chess Game will be over. Do you want that?", the Queen pleads.

"Does that mean I win?", Alice asks the Queen curiously.

"Yes, my dear, you win and then you take my place in the next Chess Game as the Queen of The Looking Glass World."

Alice put the King Piece down, ignoring the Queen's pleas.

She listens to the clapping and the Chess Board rumbles as the Knights, Bishops, Rooks and even the King applauds Alice's remarkable chess skills!

The Queen remains silent.

"You have defeated the Queen, and now you shall be our new Queen!"

"I am the Queen! I am the Queen!, Alice claps her hands and jumps up and down, rocking the chess board and the whole Looking Glass World.

"You are very lucky, but you must remain here in the Looking Glass World until you are Check-Mated by Another. This is your destiny. I hope you are happy with it."

Alice whispers in the Black Knights' ear.

"So, what kind of trouble can I get myself into?"

The Black Knight waits a moment, and with a sly grin on his face whispers back, "Oh Alice, I think you know that answer to that question,but if you need a few suggestions, I will be around. Let's lose this Chess Board and have some fun!"

"You said it Knighty!" Alice winks at him and puts him in her pocket.

"Oh Alice. It's dark in here! Put me where I can see!"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Oh, who's being bad now?", teases the Black Knight.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Alice wanders around in circles happy in the knowledge that she found a place to call her own. A place without a name, so unlike the other side of the Real World Room. It makes sense and it does not make sense at the same time.

The whole Looking Glass World is a paradox of everything she knows. It is silly

and nonsensical. The illogical nature of the Looking Glass World that she likes most of all.

There is real beauty here, but is in hiding. It lies between What Is and Why Not. Or it may lie in the warm breeze that Alice welcomes dreamily through the window. She senses the scent of lilacs in this sweet air.

In this Looking Glass World, Alice could be a Queen or perhaps, a Princess. She could most definitely be a Traveler, an Artist, or a Sculptor. She wouldn't be someone ordinary! Alice strolls to the other side of the Looking Glass World on a far away Island watching the palm trees in the distance and just waiting for the dawn. Waiting for the silence to embrace her. She would close her eyes and experience the beauty of the silence.

Moments like this are unforgettable especially when you exist in a Noisy Vacuum called a City. There are no Cities here. No Hot, Stifling Cities!

There is breathing room to be Playful and Curious and Dream. Alice walks barefoot through the Babbling Brook. She can spend the rest of the days picking Daisies, Roses, Lavender and Daffodils in a basket made up of Silk Dreams. She stops every once in a while to pick Strawberries. It is Raining!

A million drops of rain wash away her Sorrows and Pain and bring a Smile back to her life. Why does Alice wander through mirrors into strange and places without names? Because she is Alice!

On the other side of the Looking Glass World, Alice watches her own reflection.

Alice is Queen of the Chess Board Games, but mostly she is fun-loving and ready to find out what's around the corner! She is now the White Queen in a Place like Alice.

Do you remember how I asked in the beginning how does it feel to be on the other side of the Looking Glass World?

Just ask Alice.