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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Miracles / Wonders
- Published: 07/20/2019
They are not just raindrops.
Born 1951, M, from Wilmington NC, United States.jpeg)
The other Gods were busy. So many of them had important jobs…making war, sundering the earth, causing cataclysms. It didn’t really bother Leslie. I mean really, if you are a God, even a minor one, but your name is Leslie, well sundering and cataclysms aren’t going to be your thing.
Nobody ever shook in their boots thinking what the Almighty Leslie was going to do. It just didn’t harbinger any doom, gloom, or brimstone. Leslie just sounded like a neighbor you could trust. I was as surprised as any of the other Gods when I found out what Leslie really did.
And maybe…just maybe…Leslie is more important than war, sundering, and cataclysms.
Let me tell you a story…
*****
I was tired. I had been throwing lightening bolts for hours. I mean that would be cool if I was over land, or populated areas. You know, where you could scare the bejesus out of people with your power, or start a forest fire, or strike a well known object - obliterating it with a single powerful flash of light. Something to scare the Mortals half out of their minds (which, as simple as Mortal minds are- isn’t really saying much).
But over water, well, it kind of loses its threatening fearful awe inspiring power. All you really do over water is make a nice Lava lamp glow for the other Gods to snicker at. It is where we all start though. Throwing lightening, blasting thunder that rolls for long seconds is a skill that takes millennia to get down. I had been doing it since before the Greeks even thought of putting some of us on a Mountain Top. I told you Mortals have simple minds. Like we would live on a Mountain Top on Earth... when we had already made the Entire Universe. It makes you want to throw a few bolts at them…just because.
Anyways, I came back to the Hall kind of bummed out. I got the usual ribbing from the other Young Gods:
“Hey Mercurious, fry any fish?”
“Dammit Mercurious, I wanted sushi, now you have gone and burned it all.”
“Mercurious, did you manage to hit the Ocean this time? Maybe you should stand closer before you hurl any bolts."
Stuff like that. Maybe Mortals aren’t as far below us as I thought.
Anyways, I wasn’t in the best humor when I got back to the Hall. Off in a side hallway I saw a young God. He wasn’t as tall and shapely was most of us. Kind of ordinary looking really. A lot of young Gods pile on the whole Powerful rippling muscle flowing under togas thing until perfection seems routine. Not this god.
He just had on a simple Robe, barefoot, with regular length hair and a demeanor that came closer to thoughtful than vengeful. There wasn’t an ounce of “I am Powerful” about him. Strangely though, one glance did make you think he was both confident and competent.
So I walked over to him. ( I say walked…but to a Mortal, well, it would have been such a graceful dance they would have wept in joy just to have seen it). He was watching the rain. At least I thought it was rain. He was playing the streams of water like Angelica played the Harp (and what Human wouldn’t give their soul to hear her play- or even just to look at her). He was separating the streams of water into small dot like things.
Some were silver drops, others, well shimmered with a power of their own making. Others were so soft and salty that you could feel the sadness trapped in them…even without God like Powers. Some strands sparkled, some glittered, some pooled in deepening puddles of melancholy. Some…well, they even moved me.
“Hello there. What are you doing with all those raindrops?”
The wall of water stopped streaming, falling into the catch basin in a rush of sound. A waterfall shutting down. The young God turned towards me with a hint of a smile on his face. I must admit, that made him a bit more God like to me. For that smile wasn’t forced, but it forced you to want to see it again. A mortal would have fallen in love on the spot. Heck, maybe I did too.
“They aren’t just raindrops.
“What are they then?”
That smile came again. I must be hanging around to many Mortals- for I was finding it irresistible. My irritable mood over the taunts and lack of targets for my bolts of lightening was already gone. Instead I found myself interested, even curious. Neither of those emotions are common in the Hall, after all, we are Gods, and know it all. Or think we do.
“Life water.”
“Life water?”
“Yes. For the Mortals.”
“I have never heard of Life Water…what is it?”
“Well, you do know that Water is the gift of Life. Without it all Mortals would die?”
I wondered if that smile wasn’t as gentle as I thought it was. Teasing a God is not a good idea. Then I realized, as the smile stayed on his face, just the way I liked it- he was not teasing. He was being genuine. Another uncommon God trait.
“Yes. I do know that. So why were you playing with it?”
“Oh, I wasn’t playing. I was helping the Mortals shed their Life Water.”
Now, no God is stupid. Self centered maybe. Narcissistic maybe. Self serving maybe. Stupid? No way.
“I am not sure what you mean. It looked like rain drops to me. ”
He set the water up again. Lifting it out of the catch basin with a flowing gesture by one hand. As he did, I noticed (again) that the water seems to form dots, or little clumps that ran down in little rivulets back into the catch basin. Some glittered, some sparkled, some…well, the fell slow, heavy, heartfelt.
“They are not raindrops. They are tears. Tears of joy. Tears of pain. Tears of loss. Tears of happiness. Tears of fear. ( I noticed that way to many tears were shed by fear of Gods, then of Joy) I saw Mother’s tears as their babies left Life to early, or …to late. I saw the tears of True Love. I saw the tears that were left to be shed in the dark, hidden from the people or things that caused them.
I saw children’s tears. Innocent responses to things they didn’t yet understand. I saw the tears of completing a task, or finishing a journey. As I looked closer, I saw the tears shed for injustice, unfairness, Mortals inhumanity to each other—those tears were colored by empathy.
I saw the tears of forgiveness- and how different they looked when held back instead of letting them flow out. The tears hardened, making hearts closed to relatives, lovers, even…in some cases…to themselves.
I couldn’t help it. I cried.
To many tears in Life were caused by things other than joy, wonder, and love. Tears of thanks, or gratitude were far outnumbered by tears of regret, shame, or neglect. Tears of loss were almost as numerous. It made me want to cry. Where are the tears for receiving a gift you didn’t expect? Where were the tears thanking someone for shelter, or food, or safety? The kind of tears that replaced words.
Where were the tears of looking down at a newborn Mortal, and then looking into the eyes of the Father to be met with tears of loving joy…a miracle made by two, held by one. Where were the tears of a job well done. Tears of lack, caused by war, famine, or disaster were much more common. Why?
I could have thrown a bolt to wake up the Mortals - to make them see they are shedding to many tears that shouldn’t have been necessary.
I found myself sobbing as I slid to the Hall Floor.
I looked up to see that my tears had joined the ones flowing into the catch basin. They were bigger then most of the other tears, more colorful in their pain. I knew then I would have to be a better God. A kinder God. A more gentle guiding God.
He handed me a soft cloth. His next words surprised me.
“Thank you. I can use that Life Water. If Gods can cry, then maybe Mortals won’t have to. I thank you.”
I stood up. That smile on his face pleased me as much as his words. I shook his hand and asked his name.
“Oh. My name is Leslie. I make water from eyes.”
I walked away in a dance that would have Mortals crying at the sheer beauty of it. I had made a decision. Tomorrow I wouldn’t throw lightening bolts, or roll thunder.
Tomorrow, I would wipe the tears of a broken heart with the cloth of a new love. I would ease the worry of a young mother by having her kids home on time. I would help Mortals say: “I am sorry.” And I would borrow Leslie to let the tears of forgiveness flow as an answer.
I would make more tears flow from unexpected gifts of kindness, or food, or shelter.
I would become the kind of God that makes you cry because you can trust them.
I would become more like Leslie.
I know now that they are not just raindrops.
They are not just raindrops.(Kevin Hughes)
The other Gods were busy. So many of them had important jobs…making war, sundering the earth, causing cataclysms. It didn’t really bother Leslie. I mean really, if you are a God, even a minor one, but your name is Leslie, well sundering and cataclysms aren’t going to be your thing.
Nobody ever shook in their boots thinking what the Almighty Leslie was going to do. It just didn’t harbinger any doom, gloom, or brimstone. Leslie just sounded like a neighbor you could trust. I was as surprised as any of the other Gods when I found out what Leslie really did.
And maybe…just maybe…Leslie is more important than war, sundering, and cataclysms.
Let me tell you a story…
*****
I was tired. I had been throwing lightening bolts for hours. I mean that would be cool if I was over land, or populated areas. You know, where you could scare the bejesus out of people with your power, or start a forest fire, or strike a well known object - obliterating it with a single powerful flash of light. Something to scare the Mortals half out of their minds (which, as simple as Mortal minds are- isn’t really saying much).
But over water, well, it kind of loses its threatening fearful awe inspiring power. All you really do over water is make a nice Lava lamp glow for the other Gods to snicker at. It is where we all start though. Throwing lightening, blasting thunder that rolls for long seconds is a skill that takes millennia to get down. I had been doing it since before the Greeks even thought of putting some of us on a Mountain Top. I told you Mortals have simple minds. Like we would live on a Mountain Top on Earth... when we had already made the Entire Universe. It makes you want to throw a few bolts at them…just because.
Anyways, I came back to the Hall kind of bummed out. I got the usual ribbing from the other Young Gods:
“Hey Mercurious, fry any fish?”
“Dammit Mercurious, I wanted sushi, now you have gone and burned it all.”
“Mercurious, did you manage to hit the Ocean this time? Maybe you should stand closer before you hurl any bolts."
Stuff like that. Maybe Mortals aren’t as far below us as I thought.
Anyways, I wasn’t in the best humor when I got back to the Hall. Off in a side hallway I saw a young God. He wasn’t as tall and shapely was most of us. Kind of ordinary looking really. A lot of young Gods pile on the whole Powerful rippling muscle flowing under togas thing until perfection seems routine. Not this god.
He just had on a simple Robe, barefoot, with regular length hair and a demeanor that came closer to thoughtful than vengeful. There wasn’t an ounce of “I am Powerful” about him. Strangely though, one glance did make you think he was both confident and competent.
So I walked over to him. ( I say walked…but to a Mortal, well, it would have been such a graceful dance they would have wept in joy just to have seen it). He was watching the rain. At least I thought it was rain. He was playing the streams of water like Angelica played the Harp (and what Human wouldn’t give their soul to hear her play- or even just to look at her). He was separating the streams of water into small dot like things.
Some were silver drops, others, well shimmered with a power of their own making. Others were so soft and salty that you could feel the sadness trapped in them…even without God like Powers. Some strands sparkled, some glittered, some pooled in deepening puddles of melancholy. Some…well, they even moved me.
“Hello there. What are you doing with all those raindrops?”
The wall of water stopped streaming, falling into the catch basin in a rush of sound. A waterfall shutting down. The young God turned towards me with a hint of a smile on his face. I must admit, that made him a bit more God like to me. For that smile wasn’t forced, but it forced you to want to see it again. A mortal would have fallen in love on the spot. Heck, maybe I did too.
“They aren’t just raindrops.
“What are they then?”
That smile came again. I must be hanging around to many Mortals- for I was finding it irresistible. My irritable mood over the taunts and lack of targets for my bolts of lightening was already gone. Instead I found myself interested, even curious. Neither of those emotions are common in the Hall, after all, we are Gods, and know it all. Or think we do.
“Life water.”
“Life water?”
“Yes. For the Mortals.”
“I have never heard of Life Water…what is it?”
“Well, you do know that Water is the gift of Life. Without it all Mortals would die?”
I wondered if that smile wasn’t as gentle as I thought it was. Teasing a God is not a good idea. Then I realized, as the smile stayed on his face, just the way I liked it- he was not teasing. He was being genuine. Another uncommon God trait.
“Yes. I do know that. So why were you playing with it?”
“Oh, I wasn’t playing. I was helping the Mortals shed their Life Water.”
Now, no God is stupid. Self centered maybe. Narcissistic maybe. Self serving maybe. Stupid? No way.
“I am not sure what you mean. It looked like rain drops to me. ”
He set the water up again. Lifting it out of the catch basin with a flowing gesture by one hand. As he did, I noticed (again) that the water seems to form dots, or little clumps that ran down in little rivulets back into the catch basin. Some glittered, some sparkled, some…well, the fell slow, heavy, heartfelt.
“They are not raindrops. They are tears. Tears of joy. Tears of pain. Tears of loss. Tears of happiness. Tears of fear. ( I noticed that way to many tears were shed by fear of Gods, then of Joy) I saw Mother’s tears as their babies left Life to early, or …to late. I saw the tears of True Love. I saw the tears that were left to be shed in the dark, hidden from the people or things that caused them.
I saw children’s tears. Innocent responses to things they didn’t yet understand. I saw the tears of completing a task, or finishing a journey. As I looked closer, I saw the tears shed for injustice, unfairness, Mortals inhumanity to each other—those tears were colored by empathy.
I saw the tears of forgiveness- and how different they looked when held back instead of letting them flow out. The tears hardened, making hearts closed to relatives, lovers, even…in some cases…to themselves.
I couldn’t help it. I cried.
To many tears in Life were caused by things other than joy, wonder, and love. Tears of thanks, or gratitude were far outnumbered by tears of regret, shame, or neglect. Tears of loss were almost as numerous. It made me want to cry. Where are the tears for receiving a gift you didn’t expect? Where were the tears thanking someone for shelter, or food, or safety? The kind of tears that replaced words.
Where were the tears of looking down at a newborn Mortal, and then looking into the eyes of the Father to be met with tears of loving joy…a miracle made by two, held by one. Where were the tears of a job well done. Tears of lack, caused by war, famine, or disaster were much more common. Why?
I could have thrown a bolt to wake up the Mortals - to make them see they are shedding to many tears that shouldn’t have been necessary.
I found myself sobbing as I slid to the Hall Floor.
I looked up to see that my tears had joined the ones flowing into the catch basin. They were bigger then most of the other tears, more colorful in their pain. I knew then I would have to be a better God. A kinder God. A more gentle guiding God.
He handed me a soft cloth. His next words surprised me.
“Thank you. I can use that Life Water. If Gods can cry, then maybe Mortals won’t have to. I thank you.”
I stood up. That smile on his face pleased me as much as his words. I shook his hand and asked his name.
“Oh. My name is Leslie. I make water from eyes.”
I walked away in a dance that would have Mortals crying at the sheer beauty of it. I had made a decision. Tomorrow I wouldn’t throw lightening bolts, or roll thunder.
Tomorrow, I would wipe the tears of a broken heart with the cloth of a new love. I would ease the worry of a young mother by having her kids home on time. I would help Mortals say: “I am sorry.” And I would borrow Leslie to let the tears of forgiveness flow as an answer.
I would make more tears flow from unexpected gifts of kindness, or food, or shelter.
I would become the kind of God that makes you cry because you can trust them.
I would become more like Leslie.
I know now that they are not just raindrops.
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Aziz
07/21/2019Your wide imaginary is so impressive that you lead us to dive in your world of fantasy and use our loaf to grasp many things.
Cordially
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Kevin Hughes
07/21/2019Thanks Aziz,
I can't think in several languages like you can, so I have to use my imagination a lot. It must be so neat to be able to understand the world through different filters that being polylingual give you.
Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Ayush Kumar
07/20/2019“Thank you. I can use that Life Water. If Gods can cry, then maybe Mortals won’t have to. I thank you.”
Thank you, sir.You've inspired me today.
Yours lovingly,
Ayush : D
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Kevin Hughes
07/21/2019Thanks for those exceptionally kind words...and I hope your day is filled with good things.
Smiles, Kevin
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