It was different for many of them, they did not all dream the same dream and yet none of them were wrong … they were true to the command and true to the beat of their own hearts. They made their discoveries after much self-introspection and criticism. They also found others of like mind sharing the commonalities that they found true for them. They rejoiced and reveled in each other's company and support. So did others even though their discoveries led them on different paths.

Little by little each of these groups invited those that shared the same ideals to join with them. Each diverse from the others and yet had ties to the same great BDSM Spirit, each shared the familial ties. They wisely came to recognize and celebrate their differences and celebrated their wonderment in their individual groups growing in knowledge, friendship and trust.

When the Great BDSM Spirit would say, ""gather together"", they came and the rainbow of their diversity was apparent and celebrated. The Great BDSM Spirit smiled down on them and blessed them. He said, ""You have followed your heart and represent all the colors of the universe and the essence that I have given each of you and I am pleased"".

Time passed and there were others who said. ""Let us gather together. We all have the same father and we can be stronger together than if we were separate. We could be together always instead of just when the Great BDSM Spirit calls his gatherings! Think of all the wonderful things we could accomplish!""

There were the old ones who raised sounds of dissent but they were drowned out by the voices of those that had been influenced by the want and need of acceptance. The new voices said, ""Come one, come all"". . . and they came. The message spread from person to person, group to group by all means available.

Soon those that had not been part of the early groups heard the news and they to came. They came faster and faster 'til soon the doors of the groups were burgeoning with those seeking. The old ones that remembered the fathers words were only a few compared to those seeking. They could not teach them the words of the father fast enough. The new ones were hungry for the words that they could not hear, they could not sit at the knee of father. So slowly they made up their own words and said bless these words. The old ones shivered as they saw their homes take on a different light. None but the old of heart and spirit could see the changes. They were subtle and to those that kept coming in they did not know the difference. They did not know that the words they learned were not from the Great BDSM Spirit but words that were made up by a new generation that did not kno

The Great BDSM Spirit looked down and he sighed. How could his simple message of '""Honor me, honor yourself, and follow your heart"" become such a perversion of his intent, such a mass of confusion? He thought of his beautiful rainbow, the wonderful diversity that his children had grown into. What had become of them? How had this happened? Then he heard it. He heard the new voices of those that spoke the ""other words"". They were the ones who spoke with the power of persuasion to sway others saying, ""Come one, come all and we will be stronger together!"" And again the Great One sighed.

He knew what he needed to do and it pained him. He knew that people, his people, would be hurt. He knew that there would be those that would leave in disillusionment. He knew that there would be words spoken in anger. Still he held firm.

He stood on high and called for a great gathering … he beckoned all to come and gather as they had in days long ago. And they came, the old, the new, those who had never forgotten the words of the father and those who never knew.

Those gathered from all corners of the world talked in hushed whispers. It had been many years since the last gathering had been called. Some had been there before and for others this was the first time they had stepped into the presence of the Great One.

The gathering place was filled to over flowing and the Great BDSM Spirit stood slowly, in front of them, as if he were carrying a great weight and as a hush fell over those that had assembled. He stood there in silence his face etched by the lines drawn there from time immemorial by the things he knew that they had suffered in his name as many of them had struggled to follow his simple command … ""honor me, honor yourself, follow your heart""

His silence continued as he searched the assemblage for the light in their eyes. He searched for the beautiful rainbow that had once been the pride of his universe and all that their commonality and their diversity had represented. Then they saw it. A single crystal tear slowly trickled down his face and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

""My children"", he said, as his eyes continued to search the multitude that looked ever so much like a churning, boiling sea of grey. ""Where are you? Where have you gone? Where are those who have followed their heart? Where is my beautiful rainbow?""

There was a murmur among the crowd as one lone hand raised in the crowd lifting a lighter, the beam tiny but clear. He said, ""I am here father"". Then slowly one after another raised their hands into the air holding their lights high. They worked their way through the crowd to the one standing alone bravely holding the light high.

There were frowns on the faces of many there. They did not understand the fathers' words or the tear that had spilled from his eye. They did not see what he was seeing from his vantage point and they did not know what he knew. His beautiful rainbow that had followed the other voices had gathered together, not just at his special gatherings, and in doing so had diluted and lost their colour. They had become a homogenous amalgamation of all colours and had lost definition that had made them unique and beautiful to the father. They had become one colour of grey.

The Great BDSM Spirit looked to those with arms raised holding their lights high in the midst of the milling throng. He saw it in their eyes, and he saw it all around them. He saw those that stood in that small circle and he saw it and he smiled. He saw the color of his rainbow in the sea of grey and he spoke again. He raised his voice that sounded ever so much like an approaching storm and the thunder seemed to roll from him as he said. ""Come out of her my people"", and so they did.

Little by little they struggled against the grey sea as the Great BDSM Spirit held out his hand and whispered, ""Never forget, be true to your heart"" and he slowly disappeared before them. Some of those with their lights held high were swallowed up by the milling sea of grey but there were others that managed to depart with their lights held high as they made their way back to the place where they knew the father would be.

Slowly, ever so slowly, they came to understand that while they all had their father as their strength it was their hearts and their diversity in which the father held his pride in them. Each unique, stalwart in their different paths and only in their separateness were the many facets able to reflect all of the beauty of all of them.

The grey sea continued to their own gatherings and echoed their mantra; 'come one, come all' and they grew. They proclaimed their gospel far and wide. Soon the fashion industry began to make symbols that had been sacred. They were found on models in advertisements, they were found around the necks of children in school, they were found, bought, sold and discarded without regard.

Those with the lights lowered their weary arms and knew that they could not teach all. Many of the new ones did not have the same love of the father. Many did not know how to honor their own heart or did they care for the words of the old ones and they were turned away.

There was a mumbling within the sea of grey about the old ones and the new ones who sat at their knees to learn and honor the mission of the Great BDSM Spirit of long ago, ""Honor me, honor yourself, and follow your heart"". The old ones were a small group, their voices were not heard by those colored grey.

Time passed and the old ones quietly taught those with the light of the rainbow in their eyes and the strength to follow their heart. They did not go into the highways and byways to call all to them. They let those searching find them and the ways of the father. They knew that their numbers would never be that of the milling sea of grey and they smiled. They knew that they had indeed returned their course to the mission that had been given to them long ago. The words of the father burned within each of them, ""honor me, honor yourself, follow your heart"", and so they did.

Many years passed and again the father called a gathering and they all came.. the great milling sea of grey and those that had remained true to the mission or had been taught at the knees of those that held precious his ways. The father quickly stood as again the great hall became silent as he held his arm high a candle burning in the darkness as he again said, ""all you with the light come to me"". Those that bore the colors of the rainbow smiled for they always had their light with them raised them high as the sea of people parted and they made their way to the father. When they stood with the father he spoke these words, ""These are my children in whom I am well pleased"" and the others in grey stood there as their hearts hurt from his words.

Scales fell from the eyes of some as they exclaimed, ""Father, we have not honored you, we honored you or ourselves. We have not followed our hearts but the voices of the sirens on the rocks and we have lost ourselves in the sea."" To them he extended his hand and said, ""Now that you have eyes to see, seek out the rainbow for that which you truly seek is at the end of that rainbow. Find the color that is you and wear it proudly. Teach those that come to you after they have sought you with their hearts. Let them wear the color that comes from within them and makes them my precious, precious treasure and so they did.

After all these years does the sea of grey still exist? Yes, and it grows with each passing moment, it grows in strength it's anthem, 'Come one, come all', is sung louder and louder.

The father did not look again on the sea of grey for they did not know him. He turned again to the small group and watched with pride as his rainbow again slowly grew, one by one, little by little the light continued to grow.