Monday, August 15, 2011

Mother's Burden

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 23; the twenty-third edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for this month is FREE.

'Gaia Angel'

The soft blades of the long grown grass brushed against her ankles as she walked in the meadows that she owned. She lived here. She loved this world that she made. Hopping lightly on the sodden bed of grass and leaves, the little girl could not have been more delighted at the wonders of her creation. She smiled and thought to herself about what a wonderful world it was, as she threw herself down on a sunlit patch and lay there until the world grew dark.

A long time passed as she lay there thinking. She was too alone. She needed somebody to look after. She needed something to nurture. She called out to her own and one by one, they came. The creatures came when the sun rose. Monstrosities and adorable ones, alike. She loved them all. They were hers. But not too long did they last. As she grew, she realized her folly. She grew sense and a great ball of fire crashed into those meadows all around her. The forests were ablaze. Her pets, as she saw them, perished. They did not deserve to carry on. They were too barbaric. But some survived. The less monstrous. The more human.

She grew with her world and the world aged with her. Mornings came and went and she kept thinking and calling out. She created as she saw fit. But now she knew. She understood that a balance was always necessary.

She called out to the misfits. They would be her supreme creation. They looked like her but they had not her power. She was wise now.

Gaia strolled along the riverside as she saw her new children rising to power. They grew in number. She was scared of how they treated each other sometimes. But she waited. She had made them capable of thought. They would realise. Some even did.

As the clouds of darkness enveloped her world, a fierce man with a small moustache wreaked havoc. Millions died. Gaia could only cry out in vain as the deaths would carry on. The little girl who used to walk in the endless fields had died. She was now a woman, saddened by what her children were doing. They had no thought about their mother. They had no thought about their brothers or their sisters. The seas rose as Gaia wept every night. Every night her children fought with each other. But she decided to wait. For a little bald man in a loin cloth made her believe that they weren't resistive to being good. They were ready to accept their own. They were not bad children. They were just misguided. They did not have her wisdom. They were children, after all.

She watched as they mutilated her world. The blades of grass she used to walk on now had to be preserved. Gaia wept incessantly and the waters of the world kept rising. Her children had not the capability to learn. History of millenia ago repeated itself over and over again as the lady watched, the little girl in her upset beyond measure. The waters kept rising.

The sun rose on a new day. A day for new beginnings, as it could be said. The world grew heavy with her mother's tears creating waves in it. The old woman was weary. She needed to rest. She had been aggrieved too long. She needed to be free. She was almost heartless as she watched her world collapsing, her children swaying tumultuously in it. Gaia watched as she thought of a new world. She waited for it to end so she could create again.

The little girl in her would wish again. She would call out to her own once more. It was not the end. But as she watched her icy world being created anew, with a smile of relief that was reflected by the stars, Gaia realized that she was wiser. She knew now what to do. She was free. Gaia was free from her own folly and her own burdens.



The fellow Blog-a-Tonicswho took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective postscan be checked here>. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.
Happy Independence Day !

32 comments:

aativas said...

What a story you have told friend! Indeed I wish Gaia is free .. to make us all free of the violence and fear. Liked the way you have elaborated the subtle journey.

Someone is Special said...

I wish Gaia is free. Beautiful narration D2..... Good luck for Blog-a-Ton. Free... are we?

Someone is Special

CRD said...

Wonderful post. I'm glad you chose to talk about Mother Nature and not Mother India simply coz it was I-Day.

All the best for the Contest.

Here's my entry
Them Slaves

Cheers
CRD

D2 said...

@aativas : I'm glad you liked it. I'm not sure what made me write this. It's unusual for me to write about something like this; it isn't my usual genre. But I'm glad you liked it nevertheless. Thank you. :)

D2 said...

@SIS : Thanks a lot. All the best to you too. :)

@CRD : There are many kinds of freedom and it's all about perception. I spoke about something that caught my fancy now. Tomorrow, it could be something else.
I'm glad you liked what I had to say.
Thank you. :)

Sadiya Merchant said...

i like it fr bein sensitiv n givin d post a gracious feminine touch.
tho i mus admit, its d odr more outlandish posts frm ur end dat i like bettr.
don blame me. ur d one spoilin us fr choice :)
gud luck!

Miss D said...

Well, it does scare me to think that Gaia is weeping so much that she would have to go through creation and destruction all over again and we, like mere puppets would have to be a part of it all.

Well they say, as you sow, so you reap... and some day it shall be time for us to bear the brunt and free our divine mother goddess.

This narration was so lucid, you could feel the emotions brimming in those tears. :)

D2 said...

@Sadiya : haha I just thought I'd diversify a little more. I hope you like it enough!
Thanks a lot. :)
All the best to you too.

D2 said...

@Enchanta :

Men have done a lot of wrongs. We will pay one day. It's nothing to be afraid of. It's a future we must embrace.
:)

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Having coming full circle, She would start again, much wiser, but nowhere near the wisest. Perhaps, she'll make new mistakes, for the cycle to repeat itself.
A man of valor, but misguided (In small mustache) gave into temptation of revenge. What did he get? Lead, from his own fingers. Another man, in Loin cloth, took the ways of Ahimsa to rouse masses. And yet, what did he get as a prize to lead people? Lead. From one of his own people.
People who know too much and try to use it to reduce the chaos are often taken back by nature, because she understands a few things out of her wisdom from precious cycles.

Beautiful post, has tangible examples from history and pre-history. And a glimpse of what might be in store.

Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete

T F Carthick said...

Really liked this theme. You have nicely brought out where the world is heading. I don't know why but I have a feeling this piece might have much stronger impact if written as poetry.

T F Carthick said...

By the way, forgot to add. Best of luck fpr Blog-a-ton and do check out my entry here In search of freedom

D2 said...

@Blasphemous Aesthete :
The cycle of nature is obviously never to end. She will learn and she will even unlearn. The process of life will go on and end and begin again afresh. That is how it must be until the days of the Armageddon.

I like how you can always sum up what I write and make it look all the more intense. Thanks for that.

D2 said...

@The Fool :

Yes, certainly, it would have had a more powerful impact if it were a poem. But I thought of writing a descriptive narrative and here we are.
Thank you for the kind words. :)
And all the best to you too. :)

Aashish Sood said...

mother earth is patient indeed, what with we all mistreatign her like anything... nice narration!

ATB for BAT

Do check out my entry at Free? To do what exactly?

Regards
Wandering Thoughts

Anonymous said...

That's a beautiful piece of work there! You have described the burdens and the emotions in an amazing way...I was captivated till the very end. Good luck for BAT!

Brijender Singh said...

Simply exquisite.
Your words create such palpable vistas that one feels as if one is actually living them-the grass, the sorrow, the hope-very fluid, very poetic and undeniably enchanting.
A riveting post, to say the least.
Like i said, simply exquisite.

D2 said...

@Aashish Sood :
The Mother Gaia has been patient enough, I do believe. Thanks. :)

@Psych Babbler : I didn't think I could do it justice well enough. But I'm glad you liked it. Good luck to you too. :)

D2 said...

@Brijender Singh :

I actually had thought of writing a poem instead of a narrative, but I didn't think I could do that justice. I'm overwhelmed by your compliments.
Thanks a lot.

the critics said...

the great mistake gaia did is deciding to9 give birth to human species or least giving them six senses....loved it ....a very good post...


here is mine
The search for eternal freedom – A Dragonfly’s curse

smiling soul said...

wow! what a post....
very beautiful :)
i really enjoyed it

Vikram Pyati said...

Beautifully written.... the flow of words is so graceful. As I was reading the post I felt I was gliding in air.....

Cherry Blossom said...

You have come up with another powerful entry and at this stage, I need not mention about your versatility. The pain and anguish of the protagonist can be realistically felt by those who would like to create, live with love and happiness, but witness hatred, destruction and decay all over. It is such a helpless situation, beyond the control of either the creator, or the sustainer or destroyer. This post, in general, is a moving poetry in prose, and, as usual, beautiful.

Pri said...

this is a beautiful write!!! there is a flurry of emotions which gets the reader hooked right to the end..
there is a strange kinda pain written in a not-so-obvious manner which would make everyone relate to this piece...

a well written saga of modern day reality!

all the best for BAT 23 :)

you can read my entry here---
FREE

D2 said...

@The critics : Gaia made mistakes a lot of times. But she will learn. Surely. She has in the past.
Thanks a lot. :)

@Sowmya : Thanks a lot. :)

@Vikram Pyati : It got you high, did it? haha that was a nice compliment. Thanks a lot. :D

D2 said...

@Cherry Blossom : As always, it's such a pleasure having you here. Thank you so much for your wonderful words. :)

@pri : Yes, it's painful. A mother's life having to watch her children become intolerably vicious would be that, I reckon. Thank you for your kind words. :)

nidhi said...

wonderfully written my mother nature and the narration is really good..loved it :)
my entry..FREE ..good luck 4 BAT
NIDHI

Ketan said...

Freedom is necessary

Prashant Mehta said...

Amazing personifications!! A very different post, i must say.

D2 said...

@Nidhi : Thanks a lot. All the best to you too. :)

@Ketan : Absolutely. And freedom can be anything depending on what kind of perspective you're holding.

@Prashant : Thanks a lot. This is not my usual genre, though. I'm glad you liked it. :)

Richi Baidwan said...

It is interesting to observe the different takes on free in this edition of BAT. Your post stands out.

Would like to see more from you on similar lines, somehow this post leaves one wanting to read more...

D2 said...

@Richi : Thank you for that. I'll certainly be writing more for the next BATs. Whether or not I write on the same lines, though, is a matter I cannot be too sure of! Cheers.

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