The Storm passes away leaving the trees with broken branches like fate which sweeps away children from their Mother’s lap and divests them of everything and the garden with withered flowers storm all over the ground looked like a grave yard. The clouds dispersed away allowing the light to come and see the crime done in the darkness of the night and the flowers that were crushed yet not dead, like fallen gladiators in the arena with life yet to ebb out of them looked up a t sun with hope, the last blessing that they had been left over with them. I, awestricken at the cruelty of the tempest slowly fumbled throughout the withered grassy path way still wet as if with the tears of the broken trees that were not dried. I lifted my eyes towards the Heaven and cried – “ What hast These tiny flowers done Thee Oh merciful! To be subjected to the cruel tempest. What hast these green branches of the lovely grooves did to cause Thy anger? Why! Oh! Thy Beloved! Why Thy wrath? “.
The clouds flirting lightly in the sky with their leaves gilded with gold with the rays of the morning sun
laughed at me and is laughter the answer to the cry ever and forever???
***
Just then a wail from a nearby hut in the garden drew my attention to that side and unaware of me my steps led me there and I saw a young woman crying her heart out hugging her tiny little babe to her breast so close that I feared the kid might get suffocated. I slowly made my way to her and lifting up her chin with the tips of my fingers enquired as gently as I could the cause of here bereavement. She with anguish gnawing her heart and with dried eyes bereft of tears and evaporated streaks of tears on her cheeks like happy brooks drained in summer heat looked at me and at the same time not looking at me put her babe in my hands without a word. I felt a chill running through all my veins and bones. The chillness even more than a bitter winter night with a hale storm could cause; the chillness unsurpassed; the chillness of death. As I stood perplexed and unknowing as to how to console the poor mother I saw her raise her eyes towards the Heaven and heard her cry – “ Oh My father over there! What have I done unto you to take away the only blessing I had in this lifeless life of mine – the only light that I hoped could lead me into the shores of the great
sea! Even taking I could have caused Thy wrath. What has this innocent infant did Thee to rob him of his Life! Pray God! What crime have we don to thee “
The gentle breeze blew the tops of the trees and they together laughed as if tickled to death! What caused the merriment? The cries and agony of the poor Mother or the chill of death or my Ignorance!!!
***
I stumbled my way out of the little hut and walked aimlessly when my feet led with a blank mind. I found a shepherd boy bringing cattle into the fields to graze merrily, the lambs walking peacefully ignorant as to where they might be led and the boy unaware as to how he is leading them. All that was to be found in merriment o n the lad’s face as he danced his way through singing on his flute a song which I could not make out, with a meaning known only to himself. I followed him like one of the mute lambs captivated by his song.
The boy sang for about an hour unaware of my presence and suddenly found me staring at him through dimmed eyes and stopped his song. We both spent some time each looking at the other yet not uttering a sound as two
silent trees gazing at each other standing opposite to each other; as two arch enemies or two bosom lovers entranced in hate or love. We stood for quite some time and at long last I found a smile on to my limpid lips. As it encouraged my smile the boy slowly approached me blushing and timidly asked me – “ Have you a small crumbs of bread with Sir, I had been starving since two days. My mother is ill and the few coppers I get for grazing these cattle from dawn to dusk I am saving for her for she is my only comfort and solace. You will be blessed sir if you could spare me some food so that I can live for few more days, could save four more coppers and God willing, maybe I could save my dear mother.” Tears rolled down my cheeks and sad astonishment filled my heart at his song and happiness; at his tear and his smile and I put my hand in my pocket and took out few chocolate bars that I was carrying with me as is my habit and gave them to him with a few silvers that I could pick up. He took the bars but refused to take up the money and as if offering his Thanks lifted his hands to the sky holding alift the small chocolate bars and I lifted my Heart to God in gripping agony. Then I beheld birds in the sky flying as if without a care and singing songs and I did not know whether they are of merriment or sorrow.
I left the plain and went into the deep woods and meditated on God’s will and after a few years returned back to my village in the spring.
The garden that the tempests mite over wrecked again in flower and the bunches of flowers are gracefully nodding their heads in the gentle warmth of the Sun as if enquiring each others health and the poor Mother was not crying any more and I found a sorrowful comfort as she was musing her son on her breast, the sorrow perhaps due to the remembrance of her first born. I found not the shepherd boy but the story went that he followed his Mother unto the Eternal Abode. I thought I found the pattern of life; After each joy a sorrow and after each sorrow a joy as if they were alternate spokes coloured differently but of the same wheel. I again lifted my eyes to the Heavens to see the gilded clouds and the singing breeze and the merry birds and they gave me a new message this time. I knelt on my knees and bowed my head in reverence and in the dew drop shining on withered grass blade amidst and emerald green carpet of grass I found God laughing at me as a mother smiles at her child whilst the child kisses her unable to control her affection towards her life giver.
I left the plain and went into the deep woods and meditated on God’s will and after a few years returned back to my village in the spring. The garden that the tempests mite over wrecked again in flower and the bunches of flowers are gracefully nodding their heads in the gentle warmth of the Sun as if enquiring each others health and the poor Mother was not crying any more and I found a sorrowful comfort as she was musing her son on her breast, the sorrow perhaps due to the remembrance of her first born. I found not the shepherd boy but the story went that he followed his Mother unto the Eternal Abode. I thought I found the pattern of life; After each joy a sorrow and after each sorrow a joy as if they were alternate spokes coloured differently but of the same wheel. I again lifted my eyes to the Heavens to see the gilded clouds and the singing breeze and the merry birds and they gave me a new message this time. I knelt on my knees and bowed my head in reverence and in the dew drop shining on withered grass blade amidst and emerald green carpet of grass I found God laughing at me as a mother smiles at her child whilst the child kisses her unable to control her affection towards her life giver. *
