Author: Bruna Hrstić, Škola za medicinske sestre Vinogradska
Far from the city lights in a cramped wooden hut lived a woman with two sons. Near the hut was a forest they loved unconditionally. She was a beautiful lady with pale skin and long hair. Her husband died when she was twenty, pregnant with her second son. Although she was a nice person, she didn’t socialize with other people. Her only friends were birds. Every time she had a chance she would sing along with them. That’s what she loved the most…
“Let’s go to the forest today,” said John out of the blue.
“Don’t we need to chop some firewood?” asked Dawson while he was making coffee with cinnamon.
“But don’t you think chopping wood is a waste of time when the sun is out?” John smiled at Dawson, his face full of wrinkles.
“It’s your call, don’t complain to me if you are cold tonight!” said Dawson happily.
As the sun came out, John took his boots and passed a bag to Dawson.
“While we are heading to the forest, we might as well pick up some flowers for our mother’s grave,” whispered John.
That day the forest wasn’t as loud as it usually was, it seemed mute. While walking, brothers couldn’t even feel the fresh wind touching their faces. There were no sounds of trees or animals in that place. After one hour spent in silence, it appeared. This little, simple, yet extraordinary being. Her wings where made of the finest gold and her beak was deep red. The creature was shining with the brightest light the brothers had ever seen. It landed on an oak tree. The two men were amazed.
“Look at that bird, Dawson!” John cried out, surprised.
In that moment, they heard a soft voice: “Greetings to you, brothers.”
The siblings looked at each other, feeling sure they were imagining things.
“Who are you?” John questioned.
“I am your friend. I’ve known you from the moment you were born, I’ve been filled with fondness since the first time you wandered into the forest and I chuckled as I was watching you landing on your faces trying to climb an apple tree. You brothers are very young but your souls are tired like those of old men.” The bird flew off the branch and gave each brother one feather. She said: “Each day I will give you two of my feathers. They will represent a new opportunity for a better life. Use them wisely.”
The brothers weren’t convinced by the bird’s words: “Feathers, huh?” smirked John.
“Every day you must notify me of your failures and accomplishments. If you did well that day, your feathers will remain the same colour, and if you didn’t, your feathers will turn grey.”
On the way back home, Dawson was awaiting his brother’s response.
John yawned. “I don’t believe we can fix our lives with a couple of feathers, but I would gladly try.”
Evening arrived quickly and the siblings spent their day just wandering around. Dawson decided to water the plants. He noticed that two small feathers on the kitchen table weren’t so shiny like they were that morning. They had become light grey. He breathlessly called John to come to the kitchen. John immediately approached the table. Both of them ran out of the hut in the direction of the old oak.
“You told us the truth!” The brothers were relieved…
A few days passed and each day they were given a new feather. With each passing day, the bird got slower and weaker. They knew something was wrong. The bird would ask them: “Are you satisfied with all you’ve done today?”
Without a word two golden feathers would be raised into the hazy sky and replaced with the new ones. The brothers liked the sweet taste of success after years of bitterness. They put a lot of energy and patience into fulfilling their dreams. Their careers advanced. Dawson was able to study abroad and John became a history teacher.
***
Not knowing that day would be the last day they would receive the feathers, the two men cheerfully headed to meet the bird. The forest was completely silent. There wasn’t any light in that place. The siblings were so occupied thinking of their success that they weren’t attentive in the slightest. Finally, they heard the bird speak:
“Today is the last day you will receive my gift.”
“What? Are you just going to leave us?” the brothers shouted. The bird felt their fear and greed.
“Listen! And tell me what you hear,” she insisted. The brothers stopped shouting and started listening. But neither of them could hear anything.
“It’s quiet.” admitted Dawson. “The forest was never this quiet. You could always hear those irritating crickets.”
The siblings at last understood that there wasn’t any life left in the place they called home. They always knew something was wrong. The bird was getting older and weaker. She was the source of life in the forest.
“How will we get a new opportunity every day if we don’t have one of your feathers?” mumbled John.
The bird burst out laughing. ”My beloved brothers. It wasn’t about the feathers, it was about the days. My feathers just symbolize the opportunities that the day brings. Each day we are all given a new chance to live a better life. Today is all we have. Everything we are meant to do should be done in the present moment. What you work for today will put food on the table tomorrow. Present time that we use for perfecting and improving ourselves becomes the future time that we value. Never forget that.”
And so in the blink of an eye bird flew away into the cloudy sky. Hidden light brought life to the forest and once again loud noises were heard and animals were seen. Everything was the way it used to be. Or not?
The future depends on what you do today –
Mahatma Gandhi
