03/08/2022
A small woman, walked along a field through a dusty path. She was very old, but her gait was light and she had in her face the fresh smile of a young girl.
At one point she saw at the edge of the path a slumped figure sitting. She remained standing and looked at him intently.
The seated person resembled a gray blanket with human outlines.
The small woman bowed to this figure and asked, "Who are you?"
Two lifeless eyes looked up at her. "Who am I?
My name is Sadness" he said very softly; so softly, in fact, that the woman could barely understand him.
"Ah, you are Sadness?" Yelled the little woman as happily as if she had just met an old friend.
"You know me?" Asked Sadness suspiciously.
"Of course I know you! Very often in the past we have gone part of the way together".
"Yes, but...aren't you afraid of me then? Why don't you run away very fast?"
"Why should I run away, dear?" said the old woman. You know very well, that sooner or later you will catch up with everyone who runs away. But may I ask, why are you so despondent?"
"I'm so sad." Said the gray figure.
The old woman sat down by him. "Well, then tell me why you are so sad."
The Sadness sighed deeply. "Ah, you know" he began very hesitantly and very surprised at the fact, that someone wanted to listen to his story.
"Nobody likes me. It is my destiny to be among
people and stay with some for a while. But when I come, they are startled, they become afraid, as if I were a serious disease. They have even invented spells with which they want to scare me away. They say, "Life is enjoyment," and from their false laughter they get stomach cramps and shortness of breath. They say, "What doesn't kill us makes us hard," and then
they get heart disease. They say, "You must pull yourself together" and they feel the pain in the shoulders and in the back. They say, "Only weaklings cry" and the pent up tears threaten to burst their heads. Or they numb themselves with alcohol and drugs so that they don't have to feel me."
"Yes, that is true," confirmed the old woman, "such people I have encountered many times."
Sadness sank in even more. "And this while I only want to help people. When I am very close to them, they get in touch with themselves. I help them build a nest to nurse their wounds. Those who are sad have a very thin skin. Many a sorrow breaks open, just like a wound that has healed badly, and that hurts. But only if they allow this sorrow, if they shed all the unshed tears, can a wound really heal. But people don't want this. Instead of letting me help them, they smear a thick layer of makeup on their scars. Or they build a thick wall of bitterness around them."
Grief began to cry, at first very weakly and then louder and louder and very desperately.
The little old woman took the collapsed figure in her arms. How soft this feels, she thought and let her hand stroke over the trembling heap of sorrow.
"Cry quietly, Sorrow," whispered
she lovingly. "Rest, so you can gather strength again. From now on, you must not walk through the world alone. I will guide you, so that despondency does not gain any more power."
The Sadness stopped crying. Full of amazement he looked at his new comrade. "But..., but - who are you, anyway?"
"Me?" said the little old woman with a smile - My name is Hope."
Author: unknown
Image: Pixabay
