The Boy and the Wind

There once was a Boy who liked to go outside. He would sit on the rocks at the top of the ravine and listen to the wind and the birds. He did this often for over ten years and then one day, he heard a voice.

“Hello?” he asked, standing up. “Can you just leave me alone?”

“Don’t you want to hear a story?” the voice asked.

“Who are you?” the Boy was scared and readied himself to run.

“You’ve been listening to me for years! I am an old friend,” the voice said.

“Are you the Wind?” asked the boy.

“Yes,” the Wind answered. “Do you want to hear a story?”

“Yes,” the Boy settled back onto his rock knowing he had nothing to fear from the wind.

“A long time ago, there was a boy, just like you,” the Wind began. “Eventually, he grew up into a Knight who went on a long journey, trying to find the Fountain of Youth.

“The Knight traveled for days. The days turned to weeks, the weeks to months, the months to years, and eventually, the Knight was an old man. He bought a little house, on the edge of the town and little children would come and visit him. He’d tell them stories of his travels. He’d tell them about the dragons he had slaughtered and he’d tell them about the witches he had outsmarted, and he also told them about the lesson he had learned. He called it the Lesson of the Wind.”

“What was it?” the Boy asked eagerly. He heard the Wind running its fingers through the trees, rumpling their leaves.

“No matter how much we want something, no matter how hard we try, not every story is meant to have a happily ever after,”” the Wind told him the lesson. “Do you know why it’s called the Lesson of the Wind?”

“No, why?” the Boy asked, scooting towards the voice so he could hear.

“Because no one ever heeds it. They throw it to the Wind,” the Wind sighed. “They toss it away and forget about it and then wonder why their life is so sad or so messed up. If they had heeded the Lesson they would have been prepared.”

“Oh,” said the Boy. “Too bad they didn’t listen.”

“Yes, too bad they didn’t,” the Wind agreed. “But you can. You can live your life, prepared, knowing that it might not end the best but you’ll be able to make the best out of it.”

“I will,” said the Boy, standing up. “I promise I will heed the Lesson of the Wind.” And the boy walked home feeling resolved that he now could be prepared.

But, if you ever sit still for a minute or two, you will hear also, the Lesson of the Wind. Listen to the Wind and heed it’s advice so you can be prepared too.