As everyone knows , the life of a cloud is very busy
and very short ! and there is a related story …
A young cloud was born in the midst of a great storm over the Mediterranean sea , but he did not even have time to grow up there , for a strong wind pushed all the clouds over towards Africa .
As soon as the clouds reached the continent , the climate changed .
A bright sun was shining in the sky and , stretched out beneath them , lay the golden sands of the Sahara . Since it almost never rains in the desert , the wind continued pushing the clouds towards the forests in the south .
Meanwhile , as happens with young humans too , the young cloud decided to leave his parents and his older friends in order to discover the world .
' What are you doing ? ' cried the wind .
the desert's the same all over .Rejoin the other clouds , and we'll go to central Africa where there are amazing mountains and trees !'
But the young cloud , a natural rebel , refused to obey , and , gradually, he dropped down until he found a gentle , generous breeze that allowed him to hover over the golden sands .
After much toing and froing , he noticed that one of the dunes was smiling at him .
He saw that the dune was also young , newly formed by the wind that had just passed over . He fell in love with her golden hair right there and then .
' Good morning ' , he said .
' What 's life like down there ? '
' I have the company of the other dunes , of the sun and the wind , and of the caravans that occasionally pass through here. Sometimes it's really hot , but it's still bearable .What 's life like up there ? '
' We have the sun and the wind too , but the good thing is that I can travel across the sky and see more things .'
' For me ' , said the dune , ' Life is short .When the wind returns from the forests , I will disappear . '
' And does that make you sad ? '
' It makes me feel that I have no purpose in life . '
' I feel the same . as soon as another wind comes along , I'll go south and be transformed into rain ; But that is my destiny.'
The dune hesitated for a moment , then said :
' Did you know that here in the desert , we call the rain paradise ? '
' I had no idea I could ever be that important , ' said the cloud proudly .
' I 've heard other older dunes tell stories about the rain .
They say that , after the rain , we are all covered with grass and flowers . but I'll never experience that , because in the desert it rains so rarely . '
It was the clouds turn to hesitate now . Then he smiled broadly and said :
' If you like , I could rain on you now . I know I've only just got here , but I love you , and I'd like to stay here for ever . '
' When I first saw you up in the sky , I fell in love with you too . ' said the dune . ' But if you transform your lovely white hair into rain , you will die .'
' LOVE NEVER DIES , ' said the dune .'
' It is transformed , and , besides , I want to show you what paradise is like . '
And he began to caress the dune with little drops of rain , so that they could stay together for longer , until a rainbow appeared.
The following day , the little dune was covered in flowers . Other clouds that passed over , heading for Africa , thought that it must be part of the forest they were looking for and scattered more rain . Twenty years later , the dune had been transformed into an oasis that refreshed travellers with the shade of its trees .
AND ALL BECAUSE , ONE DAY , A CLOUD FELL IN LOVE , AND WAS NOT AFRAID TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR THAT LOVE .
Paulo Coelho
No comments:
Post a Comment