Cloud 5

December 26, 2006

CLOUD 5

Occasionally one hears mention of Cloud 9 and about how wonderful it is to be "on it." Well I've been on it. Take it from me: It is overrated. Oh sure, it feels good to be on it, but it really is so fleeting, you know? I mean, as I found myself there -- having passed up most of the preceding clouds, with the exception of a brief stop at Cloud 5 -- and for one ephemeral moment I felt as if that were it; the supposed quintessential feeling of happiness and satisfaction and blissful contentment. That is, until I just happened to glance up and saw Cloud 10 hovering a good distance above me.

Just the sight of it convinced me that it had to be something even more wonderful than Cloud 9, maybe more than all of the preceding clouds put together. The way it floated, the rich, pillowy denseness of its shape and structure, not to mention the looks on the faces of those floating on it as they looked down upon me, gloating. Their expressions conveyed nothing less than real happiness and satisfaction and blissful contentment. They were probably Buddhists.

Which poses another problem. If they had been anything other than Buddhists, I probably could have inferred from their obvious contentment that there could not possibly be a Cloud 11. But since they were probably Buddhists, there's no way to be sure.

As I floated along on Cloud 9, looking up at those smug Buddhists, I thought about what I had experienced, albeit briefly, on Cloud 5. And suddenly Cloud 9 didn't seem so bad. And if I may offer a tip, if you find yourself on your way to Cloud 9, don't waste your time with Clouds 1 through 8. I'm serious. Just float on by.