Love and Memory

Long ago and far away,
when people still had magic..
and could talk to their feelings,
a man was walking through a forest....

He sang softly to himself,
in the manner of his people.
He touched a leaf here,
and a stone there...

He called out to animals,
he felt the earth firm and
yielding under his bare feet..
How fine he looked!!

His eye glittered,
he relished his way
the way sun kissed his bare arms
and the way the path tested his legs....

Coming to a river,
he bent down,
scooping up some water to drink
he saw his own face in the green water brink..

"What a fine man I am,"
he thought...
"So handsome ! So tall and Strong..!
I am the reflection of all that is good
and beautiful and wonderful
on this Earth..!!"

And then,
he saw the bird..
It was beautiful,
with a majestic beak
and glossy feathers,
preening itself in the sunlight..!!

And suddenly,
it spread its wings and took off,
off into the sky..
It began to fly..

The man caught his breath in awe
It was such a wonderful sight
he watched the bird fly high up over the forest
gliding left and right...

He watched it dip and dart
and soar and dive..
He saw it having fun
and felt very small and unlight..

"What is the use of being so handsome ?
I am tied to the Earth..!
Who will admire me here,
among the roots and shrubs..
My beauty belong up there
with the sun and the clouds and the wind..
I want to fly..
I will fly..
and I must try to become lighter.."

So the man
put down his bundle
ad his stick
and he felt a little lighter...

Then he shed all his things
slowly and steadily
removing all the physical rings...

"Now I am lighter
let me try flying !"
thought he
"But.. but my feet
will not lift..!!
Why wont the wind
carry me like a seed or a leaf..!??"

He thought for a while....

"I know !
It is inside that I am still heavy..
I have shed things on the outside
but inside I still carry so many things.."

He reached inside and
took out Hunger and Thirst..
"Ha ! Hunger and Thirst !
I do not need you..!
You are the source
of all my troubles..
I have to work and slave
because of you.. Be Gone..!!!"

"But.. but I ensure that
your body is nourished..
You would have died
if I hadn't reminded you to replenish..."
said hunger..

"And I remind you
of your need for water..
Water to clean and
make you less hotter.."
claimed thirst..

"I only know that
you have made me miserable,
When I don't satisfy you..
I suffer !!
When I overindulge you..
I suffer !!
You interrupt my best moments
with your constant need for attention..
When I need you to hide
that is when you make the most noise..!!
Well... Get lost !!"
screamed the man..

Next, he reached inside
and took out anger..
It scratched him..
burnt his hand..
but he struggled with it
and at last..,
he threw it into the river,
where it hissed and spat..!!

"Throw me away, will you ?
Who gave you the strength
to stand up to your length ?
Who helped you to fight
for all your rights..??"
countered anger..
struggling in the water..

Pride, Sorrow and Happiness....
he took them all out
Curiosity, Greed and Satisfaction....
could not escape the rout !!

"Ha ! Now I feel better..
Sort of empty.. but free..
No... no, something is still making me heavy..
Something is still not allowing me to be wavy..

The man searched every corner
of his mind and heart and body..
Finally his hands touched something..
that was warm and alive and pulsing..

Very, very delicate
and very, very strong
he grabbed it in his fist
and pulled it on..

"I am Love.."

"And I am Memory.."

"And why are you frightened for me..??"

"Please listen to us
you need us..
we have in our hands
the seeds of all you have thrown
without a stance.."

"We can make them
all grow again
without a bit of
anguish or pain.."

"And why would I want
to grow all emotions again..
After all the trouble
I've taken to get rid of them.."

"Your feelings make you human..!
without them.. without us..
you are absolutely
no one...
Without them.. without us..
you are like a drop of water
that evaporates on a hot stone..
Scattered in millions
of tiny molecules !
We memory and Love,
bind you to other drops,
we make you a part of river...
And the river gives you beauty
and strength and courage..
Don't you see ?
We make you part of the WHOLE..!!"

The man did not listen,
he threw them out...
Without a tinge of worry
unaware of what he will be about..

And when the bird
returned to her branch,
she looked for a handsome
strong looking man..
But there was only
a stone on that place.....

"Oh ! If only I had come back sooner !
If only I had not been carried
away by the wind..
I saw him down below..
as I was flying
admiring my flight and
regretting his lack of wings..
Then I saw him
emptying himself of
all that made him human
and I came back to tell him this :"
cried the bird

"Only the memory of my branch
and the love of my forest
allow me to dare the sky...
Memory and Love are my true wings.."