Newsletter (2017-2018) December 2017 Newsletter | Page 12

“Not easy at all. I was often concerned about the
same thing. Kids used to hold my arms, took big
leaps and fly into the sky. But as they grew, time
separated us. Our interests were not the same
anymore, thus we went on different paths. I kept
thinking whether my rotten and tangled arms
made them stay away from me…”
the same expression – pain. Obviously those
boys were not injured, but still they felt it. After a
few lines of consolation, no one wept except the
willow. Now that they felt the same as me; Mon-
key-Bar and Slide sensed my sadness. Franklin,
George and Kate also shared the same emotions
sometimes, because they were best friends—this
thought made me realise something.
“So was that it? That your appearance caused
the split?” I asked curiously, desperate to finally Who has always been here without my noticing?
find out the answer to the question I had been Swing, Monkey-Bar and Slide. I was enlightened
pondering for years.
all of a sudden. Not by Swing’s words, which
were too abstract for me to fully comprehend,
“No.” Swing replied calmly.
but by their presence—the facilities which have
accompanied me since I was born! They have
“Then why?”
always been here with me in the playground,
even though all I was paying attention to wer e
“Everything happens inevitably due to the influ- my human “best friends.” Those whom I called
ence of time. Even the finest steel erodes because “best friends” were only passers-by in my long
of time. All of us grow, values begin to differ, in- journey of life. The real fool was me for realiz-
terests change – how can we stay, how can we ing so late – that all my best friends were already
stay friends through it all?”
surrounding me – Swing, Slide and Monkey-Bar
have always been here for me.
“Can we turn back time? I missed those happy
days…”
“Swing,” I said peacefully, “your words were
hard for me to interpret. But thanks,” I turned to
“Time is like a river – have you ever heard of everyone, “thanks for staying with me through-
a river that goes upward? Throwing a stone in out everything!”
this river will cause ripples, but its course will
not change. Everything that has been lost is lost. They grinned, as if celebrating the return of the
Do not pine for your former friends; they are not cheerful me. It was dawn, and sunlight was
coming back. Don’t you still have so many fans? peeking out from the dense clouds; the greyness
Why not focus on those who spend time with became coloured with azure. The golden light re-
you now and treasure them. They should be the flected off of our metallic bodies, and we shined
stars you count at night, they provide the nour- as brightly and as proudly as the sun.
ishment that should bring you happiness. New
friends are always here if you are ready.”
Fool, I thought to myself. We fell silent. Creatures
like us do not sleep – we simply wait until the
dawn. Every second emptiness seemed to be
suffocating me. I tried thinking about things that
might be able to numb me. Every relationship
seems to be impermanent – is there anything
that can be immortal and eternal?
The incredible Mike is an
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I felt something staring at me. Unlike the usual
days, Monkey-Bar and Slide were not stargaz-
ing—they were gazing at me. They didn’t seem
to be amazed, but depressed, like me. Sadness
could be contagious. I remembered once Kate
fell to her knees and cried. Franklin and George
dashed to see what was going on. They shared
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DECEMBER 2017