Bottled-to explore

Level3 exploration

Presently, on to another circle jumped I, to reach a place with castles and dungeons, fortresses and war, green forest and farm, far and far. I could hear every inch of it, you heard right - hear is what I did. Loud was the din that drowned off a telescopic vision now pronounced! Yes, hear I could, along with see.

Calmed my senses with hands on my ears & lids on my eyes, to focus and tune in right. Heard I then a voice so melodious calmly reciting,

‘More talents bring more empowerment, the way more candles bring more light.

One success rejuvenates raw talents, the way one lit candle ignites the unlit remaining.

One candle lit, though, should not shift focus from big to small, for dark is what stands big till all candle ‘s lit.’

A fluffy bundle that flapped its wings, as though in greeting, gave forth this code.

And yeah, sweet Owl that worked, for now the ravages wrought could well be seen …

By a storm you thought? No, a man did it all, strength no less that was all!

Men gathered to chain him finally did succeed, with visible hurts galore, upon themselves rather than on him. Invisible hurts though burdened him down, forcing his faculties to play tricks on his mind.

Nourishing sights and sounds he lacked: While thoughts that fed his mind looked exactly like food, it just was toxic lump that he gulped down. Instead of healthy food for thought, chains of destruction were what everyone around him sought. So, chains it was for him they put, to lock away the destructive force he had become.

Chains could not hold this strong man down; Ran he away from all that made a prisoner of his crown. Into the woods he ran and chanced upon a tree full of fruits that wanted to shake free. About to give a strong shove to the tree, his eyes revealed instead a shy man with paint in his hand and yet another with flute on his mouth.

Hunger pangs now fanned the rage that was already built by the unfaithful crowd left behind.

Fortunately, music that filled the ears stopped destruction in its tracks just to pause and ask for directions to that fruit, images of which had tricked his eye. The dog that led the strong man to a real tree, some distance far, further coded calm into his senses afar.

Relaxed and full he opted return, to the insignificant creatures that, he thought, had crossed his path. Paint that greeted him now showed boulders arranged in style; A design that urged the big man to immediately lift some into that very arrangement. Emergence of that art resulted perhaps from the strong man’s workout prompt, but applauded he was for a work of craft!

That’s when he noticed the cheer around. The jester with his limp wasn’t even spotted till he made wafts of laughter float in the air, through thought-provoking observations put forth with flair. The company was now too good for the big man; no doubt the reason stalling his return to town. A wild boar here another big cat there, all seemed tiny and light for a good toss: Fear it was that got thrown out when the big man’s company was thrown in. And now this man was sought for his strength, once more.

He asked the painter to go pluck some fruit when fame went to his head, once more. Denied the jester with a grin. He pointed at the fruit far up on the top. Only the big man could reach that far and so leaning forward he learned that while he was wanted for his strength of build, the joker could further build his strength. To work with hope for a cheerful time ahead was not that bad decided he. For the rage, the ego, the violence... was all gone with the value he now held, reimbursed in full with value others, too, held in turn.

Big man suggested that the musician, jester and painter return with him to town. No said they, for crime it was in their land, from where they chose to run, to not slog in the farm till dusk from dawn! Delicate hands and limping legs were objects of disgust in that land, so they saw strength in not going back to that band.

Alone the strong man returned with a big smile that somehow made forgotten all chains of vile. Gradually everything returned to normal but, alas, again grim replaced the grin.

Watching bewildered from afar I now wanted to tell that man, “Your strength cannot remain a strength unless reinforced by other needed strengths. But you, O big man, do not see the strengths that lie in delicate hands or limping legs. Its time you saw it for yourself and bring it to light, for others hobbling forward, too, in the race set on time.”

I could see that I would not be heard, let’s just say it was the peculiarity of that time. So, I whispered to his mother who, in turn, whispered to his father. The message thus got heard and whilst the actions took place that brought all strengths together, I jumped back onto another circle.

‘More talents bring more empowerment, the way more candles bring more light.

One success rejuvenates the raw talents left behind; the way one lit candle ignites the unlit remaining.

The One candlelit, though, should never shift focus from big to small, for dark is what stands big till all candles lit.’

To be continued.

For levels 1 and 2 click here.