Origin

Before time, before music, before magic and mystery, before myths and legends and cults of personality, in the absence of light and sound and humanity, there existed a little known Void. Well guarded, even reserved, Void housed a universe of great unknowns, which had survived throughout eternity in absolute darkness, shrouded in rumors.

Deep within Void, a miserable nihilist, Cockroach, glowered at the bleakness, dodging bile and bait.

Out of cruelty and boredom, laced in sarcasm, Cockroach snickered into Void, "I told you so."

Enraged, Mountains shook his mighty fists. Seeing Mountains moved to cries for vengeance, Fire erupted with lava, but he couldn't contain it.

Lava scorched Earth.

Earth cried out for Water.

Void fell out of favor and hid himself from view.

Cockroach scurried away. And no one missed him.

Seeing the maleficence his oldest friend, Fire, visited upon his mother, Earth, Mountains sought to remedy the calamity, knowing only too well his outburst was behind the needless violence.

Swiftly, Mountains dropped to his knees to beg Clouds for their help in bringing forth a great flood: cooling rains to soothe and heal.

Clouds considered the request. Slowly. Ever so slowly. As is their way. For such is their nature.

There came a great passage of time, the darkest of ages.

And then came Day, and out of the blue Clouds tore themselves to pieces, weeping, shaking—cracking with thunder, losing time to lightening—for so tragic had been the experience of bearing witness. Clouds felt threadbare and bereft, and began to cry themselves dry.

Seeing Clouds' compassion, Earth risked all to gather Clouds' tears. Earth carved swaths into her abdomen, creating great plains at the foothills of Mountains.

From Clouds' tears sprang Water, whose wondrous touch could heal. And thus, Water ushered in forgiveness and levelheadedness.

Water was a touch self-absorbed, if you asked Earth, but from their union emerged Oceans, whose outstretched arms wrapped round Earth's rotund belly. Ten-thousand tributaries dropped at her sides, her great fingers Lakes of plenty.

In the course of time, a great healing had begun. And with it came great possibilities.

Stood witness to such dealings but kept at bay and isolated, Void felt lonely and empty. So he gorged himself on all the wonders he could extract from his vast treasure trove: time, music, magic, mystery, myths, legends, and cults of personality.

It was a beginning, just not the beginning.

*

In time, Forests learned of their history. They were schooled in the ways of the world (although they could have done without printed copies). Forests learned about the love of Earth, the sacrifice of Mountains, the giving nature of Clouds, the depths of Oceans, and passions of Fire.

As Forests grew thicker, deeper, more lush, and taller than possibility, they sought to convey Water ever closer to Clouds. And Clouds, filled with gratitude, pulled back the blackout curtain to give Sun a chance, saying, "Let there be light. Golden light!" And the Forests allowed light to carve a new path deep into the heart of darkness.

Nourished and sated, blessed with all the Earth and Water they might ever need, Forests created seedlings—trillions more than could ever take root—knowing only too well the need to sacrifice for the greater good. For such is the cost of living.

Many of Forests' seedlings partnered with Wind, that they might travel great distances, wild and untamed. Others got carried away by Water, delivered deep into hidden crevices, catacombs, and underworlds. Wherever they roamed, they took root. Life found a way.

Even Mountains, that wise acre, created room for Forests' seedlings—but he insisted that some of his vast peaks remain bald, that he might maintain the sight lines that mother Earth had bestowed upon him.

Seeing Mountains settling down, Fire got inspired. He coaxed scores of seedlings to crack and split and grow where they fell, even within the warm dark heart of a little known Void.

And Void, for his part, began to understand what it meant to be part of something bigger than himself. No longer empty, or left to his own devices, he embraced his magnetism, threw on a cloak of invisibility, and started hanging out in the most unexpected orbit -- with the stars!

Rumor has it, Void's become a man of mystery, the center of attention. Some might even say, he's the life of the party.

***

Copyright © 03/17/2024 by Christy Munson. All rights reserved.