Hope writes,
Door 4.
Formal, archaic in his speech, he greeted her with a thousand blessings. She found herself quite relieved to come across Ganapati again.
The grounds of this temple are tangled, expansive, and its alleys ever so dark. To find Ganesha a second time—or had he found her?—seemed of formidably good fortune. The Tiger, while a distinguished travelling companion indeed, as all cats large and small, preferred his own company. Wandering off, dissolving into the shadows, he often would leave the little Canadian girl to her own devices.
Ganapati’s steadfast alliance, then, was much appreciated.
“Pursue your path,” the Great Being encouraged. “Even when it undulates like the cobra of my belt. Even when the trail seems broken. A path twists, bends. That is its way. To follow it, you must bend with it—even be willing to break.”
Nodding, she listened intently as he continued, “Look to the wide sky, to the stars, to get your bearings. But keep this ever in your mind! Rigorously question all that you see, all that you hear—even what you think. This is a sign of immense courage. And no matter what transpires—be careful not to lose your head!”
Of course she knew that Ganesha—better than anyone—understood the issues that losing one’s head might create. And so she invited him to join their small travelling party. Together they will explore further the Lost Temple’s lonely lanes, keeping their curiosity always close at hand.
For as vast as your idea of this world is, the world of ideas is vaster. By far.
***
Door 5.
The temple walls are stone—thick and precipitously high. A very considerate giraffe joined their small pilgrimage. Was it serendipity that he also glowed in the dark? Some days good luck simply brims your cup, and this advantage should be met with a welcome change in perspective.
“And just what is it that you see?” she inquired.
Peering over the parapet, the giraffe sighed. ”It’s an awfully long way,” he warned, forehead wrinkling. His demeanour brightened, and a very long, very wet tongue sloshed over his lips, “But there are some delectable-looking leaves on ahead.” Away he loped, leading the travelling party on its way.
Ganesha, steadfast and true, with a quick wit and a hearty laugh. The illuminating giraffe, with his wondrously expansive vision (and appreciation of fine vegetation dining). And with his Bengali-flavoured purrrrr exhaling occasionally from the shadows, the tiger, circumspect and valiant.
Keeping fine company is always the wise choice, but on a journey such as this—into unknown, perhaps perilous territory—it is paramount, and the little Canadian girl was immensely grateful for the great souls that surrounded her.
Slipping her tiny hand into Ganapati’s, she grinned as they trekked on, for tonite was sure to be a very grand adventure.
***
Door 6.
“I’m freeeeezing,” she chattered, cuddling closer to Ganapati.
After an intoxicating night of speculation, of exploits both perilous and splendid—not to mention some fanciful foliate dining, courtesy of the Giraffe—he knew she was tired. Maybe a little grumpy too. Abruptly Ganesha stood, sending the girl off-kilter, pitching her onto the forest floor.
“What gives?!” Her tone peevish, she dusted leaves from her frock, a bit of mud from her cheek.
“I know reaching the Lost Temple is your intention, but is it your obsession?” Ganapati probed. Quizzical, she sat back on her heels.
“You see,” he continued, “Every challenging task carries the potency to yield a remarkable revelation—one beyond your wildest expectations. For it is only the unexpected that holds this promise of big magic.” (He could be terribly pedantic sometimes, but geez—why not?? What he didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing!)
“To walk this path…it will ask everything of you,” he stated emphatically. “To stay your course, you must become obsessed—this is the field in which you will locate the fire in the belly, the joy in your heart. This is the field where you will grow.”
With a furrowed brow, she rose and squinted up at him, his magnificent girth shielding her view of much else. If anyone could teach her the way to expand, it would be Ganesha.
“What the challenge asks of you is your artistry,” he explained. “Your art is the secret that will guide you through the darkness—verily, it is the light itself.”
“You hold this power,” tenderly, he smiled at her, “You hold it within.”
The Tiger purrrred his approval and as his ever-so-long neck bent low, the Giraffe nodded agreement.
With that, Ganapati lifted his leg and began to whirl, spinning a fierce vortex of a dance. Alongside this Great Being, so light of heart, so light of step, the little Canadian girl danced too, their shared laughter providing the rhythm.
Grace. Always when we least expect it.
Comments
Post a Comment