Once
upon a time in a world full of stories,
two
hearts of different backgrounds
wandered
into sight of each other.
One
heart was full and round and red, and was
filled
with so much goodness that it spilled out of it
in
ribbons of light that trailed behind it on the floor.
One
heart was shrouded, but if you lifted the hood,
you'd
see that it was covered with old closed up holes
and
scars of past threads.
Here,
you said, as you held out a
shining thread of your hair.
Take
it, it is free, and I am giving it to you.
I
wish to know you better.
No,
I replied, I am
afraid.
I
am full of too many scars, and I don't know if I could handle it
when
you left me behind.
The
heart plucked a thread out of its head,
broke
free one shining piece of goodness,
and
pressed it into the other heart's hand.
It
is only one small piece, I
whisper to myself,
and
it glows so bright.
And
it binds together the holes that are in me.
You
may keep it. I have enough to go around.
Only
when you are ready, spread your own
goodness
to others in the same way.
In
the beginning the thread only shone when
the
hearts were together, and retreated into darkness
when
they were apart.
The
thread that was freely given took root
and
from it grew more threads that healed over the old scars
and
slowly made them beautiful.
The
shrouded heart found it no longer wanted to hide.
There
were other hearts, both brilliant and faded,
and
they were all good in their own way.
All
the heart had to do was offer up one shining thread
one
gesture of acceptance,
and
those hearts began to shine in return.
I
have to leave, you whispered.
There
are others that need my goodness and light,
and
I have to help them.
I
am not afraid, I whispered back.
I
can shine with my own light now.
It
is time to give out my own threads.
I
am not afraid, because where you were
is
not a hole or a scar, it is simply on hold
and
waits for you to fly home.
Because
the spot where you reside in me
is
the shape of colorful rainbows,
desert
landscapes, and flowing rivers.
It
is everything good and beautiful
that
reminds me of you, and
I
do not fear pain of loss.
Because
love does not injure
and
only makes us grow into
more
than we ever thought possible.
I
throw off my shroud as you wind your path away from me.
I
do not need it anymore, because the only marks you left on me
are
proof of love.
