"Understanding"

[FredM 0]

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." - Carl Jung

 

From "Alone...With Questions"

Thinking of the conversation, he remembered what his parent's friends had told him. Could that still be the case? Maybe that was why they were not talking to him? Did they think he was still angry at them? What if he had done something to offend them? He couldn't afford to do that. They were the first he had seen...and might know where home was! He was tired of being lonely...tired of not seeing his parents. He didn't care if they weren't proud of him when he got home, he just wanted to see them again.

 

What could he have done to offend them? Perhaps being intrusive...oh his parents had spoken about that. Maybe then they would be nice...maybe then they would help.

 

 

The question started to consume him. It simply didn't make any sense. How could his friends have spoken but not be present? He only saw the tiny creatures and they had never spoken to him before. Perhaps the most important was the fact they were the first he had seen in such a long time! They were the only hope of going home and seeing his parents. Oh why didn't this make sense? Why was it so confusing?

 

He hoped he hadn't offended them by saying hello and asking questions. That was not wanted! Friends were needed now, not more who would try to hurt him or keep him from getting home. He missed his parents...he missed everyone. Tried as one could, the way home just couldn't be found! It was not fair! Not fair! He wanted to go home! He didn't care if people weren't proud of him anymore. He didn't care that he'd met with his parent's friends. He didn't care about the tiny creatures. He wanted to go home.

 

The tiny creatures were the only hope he had. Saying hello had not worked. Yet, they had responded with the words his friends had said during his visit. Why would they do that? Oh that couldn't be it. That was silly! Who would ever think of such a funny thing. Of course they would be able to...

 

Wait...

 

Even when he had thought the tiny ones were hiding his friends, they had never spoken despite his calls. None of them had...not the ones below or the ones in space. Was it possible they didn't understand him? Could they not determine what he was asking? Could it be they thought he was sent to hurt instead of greet?

 

Oh no, this was horrible! His parents would be so upset...he had angered creatures! They were small though, but he didn't want to get anyone mad at him! After all, what would be nice about that? But...what was he supposed to do now? He couldn't ask his questions because they wouldn't answer. He knew where they were from because they knew of his friends. They were the same creatures...but had come so far. So this meant they must know the way home! That was the only way they could have gotten to him!

 

Excitement! Happiness! He finally might have a way to get home to his parents! Yet, how do you ask without asking? This was troubling...it didn't make much sense. Then he remembered....yes! That might work! It may upset them, but he hoped his parents would understand and the tiny creatures would forgive him.

 

When he had looked, he had seen memories of the tiny creatures. It didn't seem to be their own, but he had seen them! There were not that many, but maybe he could look at them! This would mean moving...so he slowly started to move next to the tiny creatures. He didn't want to go too fast, or they might think he was mad! No, he couldn't upset them. Not when he was so close to communicating!

 

He got where he needed to go and paused. Nice and slow....he didn't want to startle the tiny creatures. There, he was right! They had memories! Oh but they thought very slow. He had remembered his parents teaching him to not judge others who might be less off than him. So, he would just have to be patient. After all, he had waited for so long a few more wouldn't matter.

 

Finally, he finished.

 

Sadness.

 

This was something he hadn't thought of! It didn't make sense to him! If the tiny creatures couldn't understand him, how could he understand them? Oh no, he was back where he had started! Looking thru the tiny creature memories, it didn't make any sense! All was lost, again! This was horrible!

 

Wait. These here. Yes, these look....well maybe that means...which would line up with...yes, he was right! These right here, they looked like a journal of maps! He didn't understand the words and they weren't that detailed, but they had it! They had the piece! He could not remember where the boundary was, but they had it! They knew where it was! He knew from there he turned left and waited for a short time. He would be home!

 

Ah! Joy! Pure joy! Oh he had forgotten what it felt like! He was going home!!

 

But these tiny creatures were odd. They seemed to not know where they were going. They had gone to paths he remembered his parents had said were closed for a very long time. It was as if they were blind, just going wherever. Oh that was dangerous on the paths! He had remembered stories told about accidents! The tiny creatures had just helped and that couldn't be allowed to happen. Why were they doing this though? They had taken that first path and then gone in circles. Only someone less fortunate than him would make that mistake at the junction there, even with the headache he had. One might think they were...lost.

 

Was it possible? The tiny creatures didn't know how to get back to his friends? It didn't make sense....his parents would explain it to him though. He would see them soon enough. But, he needed to say thank you and didn't want to have others think he was rude. Maybe, if they were lost, he could return their memories map with directions. Yes! That would be nice! If they were lost, they could use it to say hello to his friends! If not, they would see he was trying to be polite.

 

That is what he would do. So, he slowly started to look at the tiny creature's memories again and put in his map. Would they be able to read it? Oh, this was something he didn't want to have happen again. But, if he had been able to see part of their memories was a map...they would be smart to see it too!

 

Once he was finished he looked ahead. He was going home! He knew where to go! It had been so long! Anticipation came over him as he started, first slow and then faster, towards the path. It was so silly, it had been right in front of him all along! He simply hadn't remembered...but the tiny creatures memories had helped. As he started from a walk to a run, he held his breath and stepped onto the road.

 

Soon he would be home. Soon he would see his parents.

 

What more could a child ask for?