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AGELESS

On that morning the wind arrived on tiptoes, the same is to say, he arrived blowing soft breezes one after another. The previous day had been very hard.

During the whole morning he had been pushing white, grey and dark blue cloudy castles to the North. There had been quite a storm. It was his task to arise storms from now and then, it was a part of his nature that not even himself understood. That was a heavy distressing task that always left him without energy for big travels or adventures of his own. Close to sunset he still concentrated on the much more inspiring job of gathering thin long clouds in front of the sun to paint them in a sweet pink-orange colour. And if that wasn’t enough, when the Moon rose behind the mountains he blew all the clouds around her to allow the moonlight to kiss the sea and the wet sand below. Only then, he found the time to join the persistent cloud in the usual place. He was trying to rest a little, behind the mountains, when the new day was already rising.

The persistent cloud felt his presence getting nearer much before he saw her. She was floating very low, close to the top of the trees, pinning drops of life and light on the new leaves.

Watching him approaching that way she thought to herself that probably he was just being cautious, just in case there was another unexpected phenomenon to leave him dizzy and confused as it happened with the Moonsun Day. Somehow she felt the need of doing something to tranquilize his spirit. So she went even closer to the ground, disappeared for some moments in the middle of the blooming trees and returned with a peaceful smile in her eyes.

— Good morning, principessa! It seems you are feeling well and happy… In other day that simple fact would make me feel well and happy too, but not today… Today I feel completely weak and helpless… It seems I haven’t enough strength for this job anymore… it seems I’m getting old… Perhaps I should think about retirement… — he said with a sad expression in the eyes.

— I wouldn’t say so at all, restless rider. There are good and bad days for everyone. I saw you very tired many times before and then I saw you full of life and energy again. It’s just a bad moment, I have no doubt about that. Besides, we are not people, we are just natural things. People get old, they come and go, they change a lot and they die. The simple fact that you are just a natural thing should be enough to make you feel well and happy. And your task isn’t exactly work, is a succession of acts of creation and recreation. Everything would be much more static without you. It’s endless, I know and it’s precisely because of that that I know that you aren’t getting weak or old. You are “old” since always because, just like me, you are here since the beginning and you will be. — She concluded with a very reassuring tone.

Her words had a tranquilizing effect. He looked over the sea and around and his eyes began to shine again. He stretched his long arms and exclaimed:

—I suppose you are right, this is just a bad moment, I just need some rest and I’ll feel like new again. It happened before, it will happen again. I have a suggestion… The most of the times I don’t know exactly why I am blowing the way I do. I just feel impelled to do it and I do it. Then, many times, I ask myself “Why did I do this?” I look at the flowers’ petals scattered on the ground, I see the birds protecting themselves in their nests, I see the sharp waves destroying the sand castles, I hear no voice except mine… I even see you hiding from me… and I can only ask “Why did I do this?”… My suggestion is that each time you see me blowing like mad, tell me to stop, tell me to rest, tell me to blow softly, more with my soul than with my lungs… I really can’t control my breathing the most of the times… Tell me to stop, remember me that I’m just a natural thing among natural things… This way I’ll save my energy for more auspicious breezes…

— Restless rider, I think this is the first time that you ask anything from me… But I don’t have to do anything… you must do it by yourself, knowing that I’m always here… Only you can do it… And to make you remember that I’m always here I have a gift for you… flowers from the old and new trees. Keep them in your pocket, you’ll see they won’t wither as long you don’t forget they are in your pocket… — she said tenderly, finally showing what she had collected and had been hiding behind her back. — These are ageless flowers, natural things, just like you and me…

The wind admired the flowers for some moments, then he put them in his pocket and embraced the persistent cloud. Finally he said:

— Let this day be a new day, let the petals live in their flowers, let the birds fly freely, let the waves be gentle with the dreamers… Let’s walk along the beach. Today I’ll simply rest and feel and we’ll do it together…

Even the sun was happy with such decision. The luminous woman, the little bird and the tiny ant, who were enjoying in the Island of Stars, watched them walking peacefully and they smiled as if that beautiful moment was the work of their own souls.

Soft jungle, photography by São Ludovino.

Sharing life I, photography by São Ludovino.

The journey goes on I, photography by São Ludovino.

The limit is not the sky II, photography by São Ludovino.

Always on the clouds III, photography by São Ludovino.

Little sister I, photography by São Ludovino.

Wonders under my feet I, photography by São Ludovino.

Sharing life II, photography by São Ludovino.

Fertile jungle I, photography by São Ludovino.

Fertile jungle II, photography by São Ludovino.

Honest work I, photography by São Ludovino.

Quiet work I, photography by São Ludovino.

Many in one I, photography by São Ludovino.

Messages from life III, photography by São Ludovino.

Multiplying the seeds I, photography by São Ludovino.

Sunny jungle I, photography by São Ludovino.

Sunny jungle II, photography by São Ludovino.

Spiral of life I, photography by São Ludovino.

The green link I, photography by São Ludovino.

The singer, photography by São Ludovino.

Companion VII, photography by São Ludovino.

MOONSUN DAY

In places where light, love and harmony inhabits, sometimes unexpected beautiful things happen more often than one could expect. Any common morning or night is perfect for the unexpected.

The wind or the clouds aren’t exactly the best example of immutability, they change constantly, they are unexpected by nature, just like Nature herself. And yet, Nature is the more constant thing there is in her constant everlasting-changing, it’s the perfect paradigm of life.

On that afternoon the persistent cloud was gliding in the blue sky just breathing the beauty and peace around. She was so absorbed in the magic of the moment that she didn’t notice the wind arriving in the distance. She didn’t even remember that he hadn’t come there that morning, as usual. In fact he didn’t come there the whole week, though she had felt the same sweet breeze every morning.

The warm colours of sunset were announcing their presence above the surface of the sea. The waving waters were whispering liquid chords to the seagulls and the seagulls were dancing at their rhythm, drawing invisible paths all through the sky. But there’s nothing unexpected in this. That was just another average afternoon in the forest by the sea. What was unexpected was just the shape of the cloud and the travels in the sky… or the eyes of the wind.

When he was coming closer he stopped, he thought he wasn’t seeing well, he thought the persistent cloud wasn’t there anymore. He slowed his ride and his breath, he became completely silent and static, unable of hearing his own heart beat or the warm air flowing in his veins. He looked around. Everything was there, the Forest, the garden, the dunes, the seagulls, the sea, the Light Home, the Island of Stars… except the Light Boat, the magical trio and the persistent cloud… or at least he couldn’t see them. He just stood there watching a kind of white and blue bird floating close to the water. Then he heard that “new bird” singing or speaking like singing and decided to come closer. At that moment, the persistent cloud felt his presence near and turned her eyes to him.

— Restless rider, why are you coming so softly and silently today? Are you tired of riding?

He took some time to answer. He knew very well that the cloud used to change her shape and size from now and then. He knew she could assume the form of almost everything, only he wasn’t expecting that, not that way.

— I was just looking for the persistent cloud that I always knew and you seem so different today… You look like the little bird only in a huge size… —He began. — Even your voice seems the voice of the little bird… and you have that twinkling-sparkling garland around your head, stars, flowers and leaves tangled… and your eyes are giant too… those are not the eyes of a bird… You always changed your shape but you always seemed the same to me, but today you really look different… I guess I was so apprehensive just because you didn’t look like the persistent cloud anymore… — He confessed in a sad tone.

— Well, but I’m here, am I not? I’m still the same cloud you always knew and I don’t intend to change, only now I’m more than a beholder here, I’m a part of it. When the magic trio began their travels, the little bird came and asked me to take care of everything during their absence. And that’s precisely what I’m doing. I’m learning to do things I never did before. I hope that when they return again they allow me to do what I’m doing now. It’s wonderful to behold beauty but it’s even better to take part in the creation of it. Now I really am a “soul mirror” too and the inner labor is giving new fruits… — she said with happiness twinkling in her eyes.

At the same time she slowly assumed the form of the Luminous Woman. From her bosom she took a chalice of sunbeams and moonbeams and offered it to the wind.

— Taste it! It’s a gift from the sky! It’s Water of Life. Things around me are very generous. I don’t ask anything and yet I’m constantly receiving precious gifts… — she said while she was waving her hair showing new threads of sun and moon in her head.

The wind accepted the luminous drink. He drank it slowly, tasting each drop with his eyes closed. Then he opened his eyes and breathed with deep satisfaction.

—It really tastes like Water of Life! I feel like new. Right now I could ride around the world three times and still feel fresh — he exclaimed with enthusiasm.

He looked at the sky around to choose what direction to take and his enthusiasm became bewilderment. Naturally, the sun used to set over the sea in the West… but now it was the Moon there floating above the tranquil glazing waters. The Sun was setting in the East… or perhaps it was rising… again, at the end of the afternoon.

— Principessa, your exquisite drink put me mad or did we change planet and I didn’t notice it? I’m not sure if I like what I’m seeing. I’d like my old world back!

— This is your old world. What is happening now, happened many times before, only this is the first time that you are seeing it. There are still many new things to know in our old world. It’s just Moonsun day or night. From time to time the Sun and the Moon exchange places and then they join in one. In these days there’s no distinction between day and night, the day lives within the night and vice versa. The little bird told me the story of Moonsun, it’s a very ancient one. Once, somewhere in the universe they were one, so now even when they are apart, one shining in the day and the other in the night, they are together in the light that inhabits their souls.

— I like that story… I think that I like Moonsun after all. But what tore them apart? — he asked with some sadness in his eyes.

— That the story doesn’t tell clearly. It just seems that they had to split to meet again and again along the endless flowing of Time. It may seem a sad story to you, but it isn’t. Moonsun day always returns, time after time — she explained.

— Well, I feel a little bit like Moonsun myself… I’m always coming and going… and you are always here… — he said feeling a little bit sorrow.

— Restless rider, one of these days we’ll have our Windcloud day… I’ll ride across the world and you’ll stay here very quietly for a change… — she suggested.

— Or perhaps you could ride with me now and then… —he suggested back.

— We’ll see, restless rider, when the time comes. Look, the magic trio is coming back from one more of their travels. I’m anxious to see what they brought this time… — she said following with her eyes the approaching boat.

— Are they bringing anything from their journeys? – He asked with curiosity.

— Plenty of things! They bring and they take. Look, the deck is covered with shells and stars… and the Luminous Woman is wearing a small rainbow around her head… — the cloud said overjoyed with their return.

— Strange creatures they are… But I’m beginning to like them… —he confessed.

— And that’s a very good sign! Perhaps one of these days you’ll be prepared to start your own inner labor and be another soul mirror in the everlasting forest…