Life's Lessons by Linda Vorrath
My sister, Linda, created this story back in 1979 using a Smith Corona typewriter and liquid white out. She was 17 years old. Enjoy!
Glancing at the steam, only semi-conscious of the surroundings, a wiry, well-worn body moved between the trees. The tranquil atmosphere, a soft breeze in the tree-tops and the unearthly calmness of the ground was toying with the old man’s mind. Nearly a century of life had been instilled within him. His grey, chest-long beard and thin anatomy had become an end product of wisdom, learning and growing.
His thoughts raced in and out of decades, events, and emotions. The thoughts chased one another hiding to only reappear in a different light like children playing in the woods. So many years of living, living for what? The time was good but of what significance? Even the greatest philosophers and scientists had questioned themselves on the same grounds. In contrast to a fatigued physique, his mind was as sharp as his college days. With the career of a scientist: researching, testing, failing, trying again and collecting data, he was wise and quite aware of life’s yearning . . .
Life! Life itself is the most important aspect of the universe. His thoughts accelerated, delighted to be occupied with images of his granddaughter. A smile came to his face. Her young and childish ambitions to grasp everything tangible and intangible was beautiful.
Of all lessons to teach her, which one to select and imprint on her forming intelligence. The power of physics had ruled the elderly man’s life in every aspect. What was the final lesson to be learned? Searching for the keystone to all of scientist’s laws, his thoughts ran deep. He possessed the cunning ability to assimilate nature’s forces to objects, numbers and people.
People . . . people and habits, ways of life. What causes people to be bias and blind or to overflow with the will to learn, grow, and live? Inertia! Newton answered the psychologist questions long before they were given the title. The old man pondered, he was not completely happy with this as the keystone to happiness/life. This is an important sub factor, yet there is something more meaningful than this.
Moving into a frame of mind seldom experienced he floated ominously between cells, nucleuses, planets and universes. Traveling timelessly he returned to the smaller systems, excited to know he was reaching a quest. Back to the cells, going smaller and smaller – he had arrived.
In all its glory, the answer had been so simple, there stood the smallest unit in the universe and yet the most powerful . . . the ATOM molecule! Atoms: the core of energy, radiating warmth and always giving. What a perfect unit. The sole factor of life and what could be more exciting than being blessed with millions inside each of us.
Life is not always easy, if I could give the guidance of self-strength this would be the best gift of all. Imagine the simulation of one-self to an atom:
*Each atom has the potential to emit its maximum energy yet may be dimmed by a negative force field. These forces are first exchanged within the body then presented as a whole to other units (bodies).
*Rely on your own atom (anatomy), do not live of another force field. Stability comes from the source: your inner-self. Other force fields change intensities.
*Always give until you cannot give any more and then some – you will radiate the brightest.
*An atom is an atom is an atom no better than any other yet no worse, just a different intensity and value.
*Loneliness is to be empty. The body is full of lively atoms.
What could be a more comforting thought? To tell a small child that she will never have to look beyond herself, only to look within herself for life’s most beautiful creation.
By Linda Griffiths Vorrath