Friday, November 20, 2009

There was once a small little lake, hidden deep within the mountains. There was no fishes, no plants within the small little lake, for he was just too small.

But everyday, he would smile when the mountain winds blew across his surface. And he would beam, when the day was fine and the sun to shine brightly. He would frown when gales got too fierce, and when the cloud hid the sun. But the small little lake was not sad, for he knows the gales will be gentle once again, for he knows the sun would come out yet again.

Every night, he would look at the moon and asked, "Oh beautiful moon, beautiful moon. Why do you look different every time I see you?"

And the moon would answer, "Do I?" And she would try to peer at herself ever so slightly. But of course, the moon can never see herself, for she was far too round.

But then, the moon would then always notice her reflection on the small little lake. "Indeed. I do look a trifle different from yesterday. But I don't feel any different."

The small little lake would then ask again, "Are you lonely?"

"Why would I be? I have the stars crowding all about me..." But the moon was lying, the stars were all so far, so far away. They just seemed so near. The moon was lying, for compared to the stars, she was just a tiny piece of rock.

She was sad. "Sorry small little lake, the stars are calling me. I got to leave."

But the small little lake pressed on, "Please don't go. I'm so lonely here. The mountains are always sleeping. The winds are so flighty. And the sun are just so warm but blind."

So like a kindly mother, the moon stayed and comforted the lonely small little lake," Don't worry, small little lake. Some day you will find some little girl who will swim in you, who play happily with you. Her laughters will make the sun shine brighter, the winds to play a beautiful melody and the mountains to repeat her joys."

But she forgot to tell the small little lake that the some day, the girl will grow up and maybe never to return again.

And so everyday the small little lake waited. But no one comes.

The small little lake asked the wind, "Oh mister wind, mister wind! Why did not one come and play with me?"

The wind was confused, he couldn't imagine why would the small little lake wanted someone to come and play with him. Couldn't he just blow and chase away the clouds? It was such fun playing with the clouds.

"Oh mister wind, mister wind. You have traveled far and wide. Can you tell me?"

Seeing that the small little lake was so sad, he hurriedly replied, "Maybe you are not pretty enough? I once saw another lake with a waterfall. She was so filled with people, people from all over the world."

"Oh thank you, mister wind." The small little lake was sad. He was not pretty.

For days and nights, the small little lake begged, pleaded with the mountains. "Oh please mister mountain, can you just move a little and let a stream to come to me? I really wished to have a waterfall."

For months and years, finally, the mountain woke up. The small little lake was so happy. He had a small little waterfall now.

"Look look, I've a waterfall!", the small little lake would exclaim to the moon.

Seeing that the small little lake so joyous, the moon was happy. She was not so lonely anymore. "I'm sure some little girl would discover you soon. And you will be a very special place for that little girl."

And indeed, several months later, a bubbly girl chanced into the small little lake. She was not as little as the small little lake had imagined, but still, he was overjoyed.

The not so little girl with her cute little ponytail screeched with surprise and joy when she saw the small little waterfall. "So pretty, pretty." She would exclaim before splashing into the small little lake.

Every morning the not so little girl with her short stubby ponytail would come and play with the small little lake. Some times, she would bring her brushes and sat beside the small little lake, painting.

The small little lake was very happy. He was contented to that the not so little girl had so much fun. He had become a special place for her.

The small little lake was shy. He dared not talk to the girl, until one day, the not so little girl sigh. "Oh small little lake, oh small little lake. How I wish you could talk. I think I had fell in love with you."

The normally calm surface of the small little lake rippled ever so slightly. He was confused yet happy. He was afraid yet he yearned to reply.

Finally, the small little lake replied, "I love you too."

The not so little girl hopped in surprise and joy, "You speak! Oh small little lake, I love you so much. I love your waterfall, you gentle ripples when I play in you. You are a very special lake."

Smiling happily, the small little lake too said, "I love you, not so little girl. I love your care free manner. I love your laughters. I love your painting. I love you."

And so the not so little girl visited the small little lake everyday, sharing gifts and stories. They were so happy then. The small little lake was soon filled with colorful fish, graceful water plants, that not so little girl had bought.

Everything seemed so beautiful, for even the mountains are filled with flowers planted by the not so little girl.

But after several years, maybe the small little lake had changed, or maybe the not so little girl had grown up, the not so little girl came to see the small little lake for the last time.

"I'm sorry small little lake. I thought I had loved you, but you are so different now. You have colorful fishes, graceful plants and pretty flower about you. And you have your little waterfall."

The small little lake was confused. Stunned into silence, the small little lake could not say a single word.

"Oh, small little lake, I truly sorry. But I thought I can be contented with a small little lake, but you are just too far away. So far up in the mountains. I'm tired, tired of coming up here. You always say the same things."

The small little lake sobbed.

"I very sorry. I was happy with you once, but I realized that I doesn't really like the way your waterfall gush about. I doesn't really like your water. It is too cold, too still."

The small little lake made no reply.

"It is not that i do not like you. But it is so tiring to come everyday."

If small little lakes have hearts, small little lake's broke into a million pieces. Fragments so small, that the not so little girl never saw it broke.

Tearful, the small little lake asked, "I can change. Please."

"I'm sorry. But you are just a small little lake. You can never change yourself. In my heart, you will forever be just a small little lake. Go find yourself another little girl.", the not so little girl replied.

"But I truly love you.", the brokenhearted small little lake cried.

"I'm sorry.", the not so little girl left.

And that night, the small little lake cried. The moon was so sad, she was filled with regrets. The winds was sad, he was worried, small little lake no longer smile or frown when he passes. The sun was blind, he never notice that small little lake never beam. The mountain was asleep, he never knew what happened.

The small little lake was sad. But ever so slightly, he smiled for he remembered what the not so little girl had said, "We are still friends, I will come back someday to visit you."

The small little lake waited, and waited. Maybe he was impatient, for he was a young little lake. He pleaded with the winds to bring the not so little girl a message.

Seeing the small little lake so sad, the winds agreed.

The small little lake waited, and waited for the not so little girl's reply. It never came. The small little lake begged the moon to whisper to the not so little girl. The small little lake pleaded to the sleepy mountain to tremble the message to her.

Finally, a reply. "I was busy."

The small little lake was so happy. A reply at last. Carefully, he nurtured the fish, the plants and the flowers, waiting for the day the not so little girl would come and visit him.

He put in a lot of efforts, it was not easy for a small little lake to look after so many things. But he was contented.

But the not so little girl never came.

Small little lake was devastated. Maybe he should had waited. But as rash young lakes were, small little lake threw himself down the mountains and made his way to where the not so little girl had lived.

He wanted to invite the not so little girl to his small little lake. He hoped that the not so little girl could change her mind. He hope that the not so little girl had missed him.

The small little lake had his heart broken yet again. He was angry, angry that the not so little girl was not a bit sad, angry that the not so little girl had not thought of him at all. The not so little thrown him away, just like the many toys she had.

That was the first time, small little lake had knew anger, rage. It was horrible, for lakes were never meant to have waves. The not so little girl was hurt and cursed and sweared at the small little lake.

The small little lake was very sorry. But he was very very hurt. The small little lake left and returned to his mountains, the not so little girl's curses ringing, echoing forever within his fluid body.

The fish died, followed by the plants and finally the flowers too died, for the curses had spread far. The small little lake was very hurt.

The small little lake was so sad, he still loved the not so little girl, regardless of the hurt. Small little lakes were never meant to have waves. But still, small little lake was so very sad.

He pleaded to the mountains to open a hole, so that he can hide himself forever. But the mountains refused. The moon objected. The winds said he will missed the small little lake. And the sun doesn't understand why would the small little lake want to hide from him.

And so the small little lake remained at his mountains, where there is no fish, no plant, no flowers. The small little lake doesn't understand. But still, he remained in the mountains, hoping someday, the not so little girl would return.

But small little lake knew it can never be. He was just a toy. A toy who hoped that the not so little girl can remember him as a toy she had happy times with. And not a toy that had hurt her.

The small little lake only hoped that he was a good toy. For there is nothing more for him, just a lonely dull small little lake in the mountains where no man ever walks.

The small little lake is very sad.










Sunday, November 8, 2009