The Beautiful Horse

It was already past noon, and Ashabi had not finished her morning chores, She did it so regularly that she believed she should have mastered the timing by now, but mastery eluded her; and just as she stood in the kitchen, holding a broom, she let out a big sigh; she gave in without a struggle, to the thought that a lot more had eluded her, it wasn’t just her timing, it was everything.

Broken promises, unrepentant debtors, house rent past due, dire needs unmet and business is s-l-o-w! Now, with a face that had gone pale at the speed of lightening, she dropped her neck as swiftly as she dropped the broom; she slowly muttered a lullaby, she remembered her mother had sung the lullaby to her as a child; oh! What sweet memories; how she wished this time, the lullaby will make her fall asleep and forget all about her seemingly huge problems, but alas! That was not to be. Her mind raced to her teenage years; with a wry smile she said to herself, “Ashabi, those were trouble free years”.

Am I still Ashabi? She asked as she stopped humming the lullaby. The cry of her son had startled her. Impulsively consumed by love for the crying child, Ashabi sang the lullaby again, this time with joy and for the child. He needs the soothing song, she thought; and I Ashabi, some quiet. It worked! The baby slept and Ashabi got more than just silence, she got the deep silence her soul had craved for, she realized the louder noise had been from her mind, cluttered with worries and worldly cares; and now, just now, it’s all quiet; peace, at last she found and clearly, she heard a still small voice, draped with hope and dipped in peace.

She exclaimed! In the midst of this serenity, I have found what I have so longed for, this little voice, this little nudge, this little kick, all on the inside of me, riding on a beautiful horse called silence! And so, Ashabi whispered into the ears of her soundly sleeping child, silence my child, silence must never elude you.