FINDING TIME
One day five travellers met at a crossroad.
There were many signs pointing in many directions.
They had nothing legible. They were too old.
If they had arrived in another time
Perhaps they could read things like
Let’s go
Go on
Catch me if you can
The right way… ahead and behind
Until the next crossroad…
But now there was nothing to read.
So they stopped, looked around
And chose the road that seemed the largest
And the easiest to walk on.
The travellers greeted each other
With a discrete gesture and all followed the same road
Thinking all the others were desert and hostile.
Later, one of the travellers asked another one:
─ Where are you going?
─ I’m searching time.
─ How curious! I’m on a quest to find time too!
Said a third one. And they looked to the other two
Waiting for an answer:
─ It seems we have a common purpose.
The fourth one said.
─ We surely have! ─ added the fifth one.
─ And you? ─ he asked to the first one.
─ I’m looking for the infinite roads of Time.
So I think we are all trying to find time somehow…
─ This is an old idea never put to practice
I guess I waited until I found a way to do it
The second one said.
─ And which way is that?
The first one asked.
─ Well, it’s quite simple. I made a broom and a large bag
With patience and belief
I believe I can sweep the time behind me
Put it into my bag
And in the end I’ll have plenty of time…
─ It seems an ingenious simple idea! I hope it works!
The first one commented.
─ But my idea is quite different.
I brought a bag full of stitches of many roads.
As I walk I put the stitches in front of me
So I’ll join the roads behind and the roads ahead.
The road I’ll follow will be all the other roads and itself.
This seemed to me the most complete way to do it.
─ Well, that’s something I couldn’t do ─ the third one said.
I hardly travelled before except in my mind.
I believe this is the right and only road to follow
So I only brought with me my light shoes
That will maintain me always a little above the ground.
I believe Time walks exactly the same way, flowing softly.
Time will be my companion… so I’ll surely find it…
The fourth one was amazed.
─ Why didn’t I think about that?!
It seems a perfect idea to me
But mine is also good.
In my backpack I carry a small sun and a small moon.
I’ll put them in the sky above my head whenever I want.
I will make the days and the nights in my own way.
Let’s say this is a way of making time.
So I think I’ll always find time in my backpack
Or above my head.
The fifth one was wondering if he was on the right road after all.
─ To tell you the truth, I have no plan
And I only brought myself.
Well… myself and this small stone
That I always carry in my pocket.
I hope I keep finding time while I’m walking.
And I hope wind and dust don’t erase completely
The footprints behind me and the road ahead.
The other ones were somewhat disturbed
With the sincere fragility of the fifth one.
That made them question their own choices and plans.
Perhaps the true journey didn’t need anything else
Than simplicity and truthfulness.
The five travellers followed the road
Sometimes in silence, sometimes talking
Mostly about the roads behind
About what they expected to find ahead
And about what they would do
If they really found Time
Somehow somewhere…
And while all this was happening
Three beholders were standing on the top of a beautiful hill:
The Luminous Woman, the Little Bird and the Tiny Ant.
They lived in a modest wood house
Surrounded by trees and animals.
The view was open and clear,
They could see the horizon all around
As if they were living in the axel of the world
And of Time itself.
Probably for that reason
They weren’t eager to follow all the roads.
Once, they made their journeys.
Now, their journey is the privilege of living each day
In their cozy hill under the moon and under the sun.
─ I bet they think all the other roads are empty
And that they chose the best one… ─
The Little Bird said, thinking out loud.
─ Well, perhaps they did, Birdie!
Each traveller is different.
If they believe that’s the right one… who knows
Perhaps it will be… ─ the Tiny Ant commented.
─ It’s quite possible, Antie,
But they don’t know what we know
Because they can’t see what we see from here…
All these roads full of travellers like them
Believing they are on the right road
Using their own methods to find Time
Along the road… or at the end of the road…
The Little Bird added in a thoughtful way.
─ Yes, and they can’t see there’s a sun and a moon
At the end of each road
And only a few get there…
We get there every day
Because our home is our endless road…
The Luminous Woman uttered from within.
And again and again
They sat together
Beholding the magical colours
Of a thousand suns rising and setting…
─ That pinky-orange cloud looks like a carpet!
Let’s ride the carpet
Until the stars wake up! ─
The Little Bird invited.
And there they went riding over
All the roads and all the travellers.
Sometime later when they were returning home
The Little Bird cried out very joyfully:
─ Hey, companions, the day is not over yet.
We still have work to do!
She looked at the road chosen by the five travellers
And all understood at once what they had to do.
The Luminous Woman was the first.
She pulled a piece of the road and the three
Began to wrap it in a roll that wasn’t even big.
The road was long but the roll was small.
Not a contradiction, just the natural essence of things.
Then they picked the roll, put it on the cloud-carpet
And there they went heading to the spot where the travellers were.
The cloud lowered softly almost touching the ground,
All jumped down and saluted the travelers.
─ Who are these? ─ One of the travelers asked.
─ Probably they are Time Travellers… ─ another one suggested.
─ Surely we are, partners, as anybody else.
Since you are looking for time we did the job for you.
Here you have your time
It’s all in one roll, so use and share it well.
In the rest of the road you may collect your own time
Just walking along the road. ─ The Little Bird explained.
The three companions jumped again to their cloud-carpet
And returned home waving happily from above.
Now the five travelers have all the Time in the world
Behind, ahead, around and beyond.
Who knows what they will do with it?
São Ludovino, 27/10/2018
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Chalice of Life II, photography by São Ludovino.
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