Somehow this art work made me remind of a tale from my childhood, for there is a time when all is right, when we make effort for all to be allright, and when all fails...the deepest darkness awaits closely, and that is when the brightest of all must shine.
A long, long time ago in Arabia, a young man was thriving for recognition by his father. He had always been a good son, audacious at times and his eyes shined from the fulgor and impetuous traits of his youth. This young man wanted to follow his father steps, so one day he went to his father:
- Father - he said - I am a young man yet, I have a deep desire to learn your ways, so please teach me.
The father smiled:
- My son, you have filled my heart with joy by willing so. This path you are choosing is like the dunes from the desert, endless, harsh and impermanent, are you sure my son?
The young man said:
- I am aware of the dangers father, but i do wish to ride the silk routes with our caravans.
- So be it son, so be it...
And so it was, journey after journey, the young man became a man, with his face sculpted by the desert, fiery eyes that burned like the sun, and joyfull like a sea breeze. The time had come for him to lead his own caravan, and before the sunset father and son bid farewell. As the son's caravan departed, his father prayed for his son safe return.
Many days had gone by the son's caravan, and they were heading for the next waterwell when the dunes sands started to rise in the horizon - Thieves! It can only be thieves! - No man's life will be spared...While all awaited the inevitable fate, something happened...
... The desert, in his infinite wisdom, engulfed both raiders and caravan in a sand storm that lasted for three days, tearing all and everything apart...
Lost, disoriented, thirsty and famine, the once young man that had became a man, was at the edge of his strenghts, ready to accept the desert death. He blinked once more...must have been a mirage, and laughed...he blinked again, but it still was in there...crawling, stumbling, falling, he made it to his "mirage", an Oasis. He puted his face into the water avidly only to find his mouth full of sand. He rolled on his back, facing the sun, and waited...
Half dead - he felt his body being pulled - and for moments he felt he was on a horse back before numbness took all over his senses.
Still with his eyes shut, he could hear laughter, sprinkling water and footsteps - the light slowly become aware to him, and he could perceive figures - children, running all around a mezzanine.
- I thought I was in heaven...
A man said - You are welcome to stay with me and my family for as long as you like, but first let me show you the house if you can stand on your own feet. And so was it. The house was not rich, but the children laughter filled it with comfort. He showed everything about the house and made one warning when they reached the last room. Was an empty room with three doors - you must not open any of these doors if you wish to stay with us - he nodded.
A few weeks had passed and the young man that had became a man, was growing more curious each day about the room with the three doors. One day, he went to the room and wondered, what if...and he pushed one of the doors.
Behind the door he pushed, there was a courtyard, and a beautifull woman and her servant awaited him - welcome - she said - you may stay with us for as long as you like, but my servant will show you the rest of the house first. He stayed in that magnificent house, drink, eat and talked and laughed with that beautifull woman for days and days. But one day, curiosity whispered him. In that house there was also a room with three doors that the servant had showed him and warned about not to open any of them. He couldn't wait anymore, he had to find out, and so he pushed one of the doors in that room.
He found himself in an amazing garden, filled with the most beautifull flowers and birds he had ever seen, when he was approached by fearless guards, armoured to the teeth. At first he was surprised, but after, he noticed he was being lead by female guards, all of them. When they reached the stairs that lead to the palace, all the guards and servants were women aswell. He was very amused. As they walked into the main room he realised he was the only man in that place, when he frozen as he saw the most beautifull woman he had ever seen. She greated him, and his heart beated faster then a hundred horses racing. He apologized for stepping into her palace uninvited. He stayed for many months, and each day he could enjoy the company of the most beautifull woman he had ever seen, as she showed him a room of the palace every day. They became fond of each other, and lovers. One day she showed him the last room of the palace, it had but one door, that she begged in tears he would never ever open. He promised to do so...an year had passed, and the door from the palace last room couldn't leave his memory - he had to know, afterall had he not always found a better place from each time he had openned doors in different rooms? - he had to know...
And one day he went to the one door room, smiling he openned the door.
Suddenly he found himself in the desert, in a sand storm, there was no palace anymore at sight. Very confused, he struggled to survive the storm. At the brink of his strength he fell down, ready to be swallowed by the desert sands. He cried a tearless despair as he understood all that he had lost, and how foolish he had been. In pain, he remembered all the joyfull moments in the palace, the beautifull woman and her servant, and the laughter of the children...how lucky he had been...his father...
In the arms of death, the sands announced a caravan that took him with them. He had not spoken a word ever again. When the travellers reached the sea shore, an old man came to them. They told him the story of this poor man they had found near death in the desert, but his eyes lived in the stars, barely eating and not speaking. The old man was moved by this story, since he had lost a son in the desert.
At first, the old man thought his eyes were deceiving him, could be just similar, a trick of tired eyes. As he came closer to the man the travellers had found, he rushed to him recognizing his son.
He one day was able to speak and told to his father his story, that is told till today.
We may accept too easily what we can change...untill one day, with luck, the things of the world, in their infinite wisdom, lead us back to the path.
Capuano - Arabic instrumental
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