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| Photo by Hans Peter Kolb |
She told me she likes nature; freshness of the air, shining stars in the dark sky, touch of water on the skin, fragrance of the earth. But most of all she enjoyed the touch of the grass on naked feet with little diamond dews on tips. Either I was too much into running the wheel or I was simply too insensitive. I never felt or noticed these perspectives before. Yes, I felt nature too, but in a different way. I felt air when it was too strong that it put dirt into your eyes or too cold to send a chill in the body or too hot that you will end up doing crazy dance if you move barefoot. I watched sky just as normal sky that has stars and moon, what is special? As I grew, I spent more time inside closed walls, watching one or other screen; TV, mobile, tablet, computer etc. Air was conditioned to be hot or cold based on outside temperature. Covered in shoes or slippers the feet were always beyond the reach of grass. I did not even realize, when I slowly got disconnected from those senses. But, if one is lost only then somebody else can help to bring it back to the right path.
To experience the nature that she loved so much, I asked her to share this world with me. I was little anxious and excited at the same time. I was not sure, if she will agree to accompany me on this journey and I was not courageous enough to go on this journey alone based on some documentation and directions. Lucky me, she accepted my request and willingly agreed to share the experience and show the path. To make it even better, she said she will take me to the places she likes the best. This was good to hear, but also it made me little tense as I was not sure, if I can handle it. However, to have a beautiful experience I had to take some courage.
That morning, when messengers of Sun has spread the colors in the sky to announce its arrival, we went out for our journey. She took me into the air to reach our place of experience. I did not how to fly, but I was surprised that with a little help from her side, I was soon very comfortable in flying. I got relaxed soon and was flying independently soon. I started like a sparrow with vigorous flapping of the wings. It was already good that I was not falling down. Soon, I was able to change to the level of a seagull and I could take short flights without any flaps. I was getting to know the winds more. I was feeling the connection of my wings with the air. It was passing through my feathers, caressing them and making music with them. It was amazing. When I looked at her, I saw an appreciation in her eyes and I could see that she knows that I am letting go of my fears. After some journey was covered, I finally got connected with air and its moods completely. I started to feel the difference between its warmth and cold. It was like air is talking to me and actually carrying me. I thought this is how probably an eagle feels, when it moved up the air and across without even flapping its wings covering long parts of this planet. It was a wonderful feeling. I was cuddled by wind, like I am cuddled in my warm blanket on a winter night. Air was carrying me in it’s hands. I was lost in this wonder for some time. Suddenly, I realized I had a company. I turned around to look at her and noticed, she was flying just next to me. She was carrying a smile on her face. We were so connected with the air, that I could hear her without saying anything. Air was acting as a channel that connected us in some strange ways. That is when she told me that I am ready for the next step of the journey. With that we repositioned our wings and asked the air for flight down.
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| Photo source : Concierge hotels |
I was comfortable with air, but I could not see while flying above the clouds that this dive is going straight to wide open sea. This was next level of challenge as I did not know how to swim. Thanks to air who lifted me up right before touching the sea, slowed me down and gently left me in contact with sea. It was a gentle exchange between the two and I got a chance to say thanks to Air. She immediately saw that I never swam before, may be apart from floating in the bath tub. She came to my help, gave me lift to my sinking body and helped it afloat. Slowly, I started to come out of my nervousness, relaxed my muscles and started to move. As I relaxed, I started to feel the sea and breathe. Once I was comfortable on the border of sea and air, I started to slowly engage with sea little more and try to adjust my eyes to see in sea. She saw I am ready and nudged me to come with her. She took me to see the beauty of the sea life; fishes, octopuses, oysters, coral and others. I enjoyed them all, while passing close to them; the colors were simply out of my world. But, the best part was when I started to feel and listen to the sea. The waves on the surface were hard and aggressive. The sea underneath was more subtle, more calm. It was like a man with unlimited wisdom, a Zen master. It was only when I stopped watching other species and started to see myself melting and flowing with sea that I started to enjoy it to the full. I was now ready for the next and final part of the journey.
We swam long and finally came to land. The land which looked completely isolated. Seemed like no human has ever come to this place. Sea left us with gentle waves to the shore and handed over to the earth. This was my comfort zone as I know how to walk at least. I remember she told me that she likes the touch of grass on naked feet, but I felt very small hesitation in her steps. It felt like she is not fully comfortable being here. I ignored my thoughts as some confusion due to two sudden massive experiences of my life. Little I knew what I was going to experience next. We walked slowly toward the center of the land and away from the sea. Finally we reached the place, beautiful as any imagination could think of. Green mixed with wide variety of colors was all around us. This was my most comfort area so far, I was excited and looking forward to what is going to happen next. She did not move, she remained still. I let her be in her thoughts, till my excitement took over. I asked her to take me to the world of earth. She did not say anything. She smiled, took my hand and walked me to a spot and asked me to sit. I did as suggested. I could feel the warmth of the earth and coldness of the dew. She then lied down on the grass and put her head into my lap. She asked me slow down the breathing and connect and synchronize my breathing with her. I was looking at her face and slowly, I began to notice the breathing sounds. By and by the sound of the breath started to merge. It began to feel like one sound, one symphony created with synchronized moves of chests. Slow rhythmic breathing magic. I was lost in this rhythm and the shine in her eyes. I realized that the rhythm I am feeling is not just from our breathing. This rhythm had breathing of the earth and grass and other plants into it. At that point of my realization, I noticed a small flicker in her eyes. I was still getting used to this new experience of earth, when she send me message. I heard it, but not through the ears. It was the beating of the heart and that voice was clear than anything I heard before. That is when I moved my eyes to notice that she is not she any more. She is merging with the earth. The grass has grown below and around her. It has penetrated her skin through each and every pore on the skin. The energy of earth growing in grass and plants is now blended with her blood. I was no longer sure now, if it is she who is merging into earth or the earth is merging into her. Her complete body was merged with the earth now. The shine in her eyes grew into a tender loving touch. The smile on her face had a charisma, which not only had the calmness of Buddha, but also free soul of Budai. I was completely still, still like a big rock or a mountain. I could not do anything, but watch this wonder happening before me. And what a wonder it was to a see a free soul merge into earth with a smile, gratitude and love expressed through the whole body.
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| Keep walking |
It probably took few moments or may be ages in that smile transfixed moments. But, when it ended, I found myself back in my room. The room, where I remember to ask her to share with me the experience of nature. The room where, with a warm smile, she had accepted my request. But, now it was only me in this room. I could not find any trace of her anywhere. Only thing left with me was that image of magical smile, that I saw on that natural wonder. I think ,now in someway, I understand why she was little reluctant to meet the earth. She knew it is the best place and she had been avoiding the full experience so far. She knew, if she had to have a full experience of her love towards earth, she would have to merge into it and let go of her existence. She had to become one with the earth, only missing part was the last step, that last courage. Now I understand that wonderful, magical and heavenly smile; it was complete and final merging with her love.
I do not know, if I will ever reach that stage to have such a fulfilling experience to destroy my existence. However, I will always remember that smile. I hope I would be able to have that quality of smile and spread even a little bit of it.
Mulla Nasrudin constantly irritated his friends with his eternal optimism. No matter how bad the situation, he would always say, “It could have been worse.” .
To cure him of this annoying habit, his friends decided to invent a situation so completely black, so dreadful, that even Nasrudin could find no hope in it. Approaching him at the club bar one day, one of them said, “Mulla, Did you hear what happened to George? He came home last night, found his wife in bed with another man, shot them both, then turned the gun on himself!”
“Terrible,” said the Mulla “But it could have been worse.”
“How in hell,” asked his dumbfounded friend, “could it possibly have been worse?”
“Well,” said Nasrudin, “IF IT HAD HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE! I WOULD BE DEAD NOW.”
Love
Arundeep