Category: The Retelling of an Old Tale

Andúil’s Sorrow

December 4, 2020

The final chapter of The Retelling of an Old Tale.

A tender-heart

She does seek.

Words of cunning

Does she speak–

To poison the mind

Against the soul—enmity

Is her goal.

And so, the tale of

Andúil’s Sorrow

Ever must be told;

Take care tender-heart, lest ye forget, and

Upon you should

Her addiction take hold…

In all my ways

She did I desire,

So within my mind was kindled a fire–

That burned my very senses

In an all

Consuming blaze–

So that my defenses were destroyed

For the length of my days…

Oh Andúil’s sorrow!

Her addiction will never appease

Empty promises of pleasure

Only ever a tease

To keep the tender-hearted

Ever craving her dis-ease!

And so

One by one,

They return to Andúil

Begging on their scabby knees;

The tender-hearted, hooked and hollow eyed demand, “You must help us…” (and with a pitiful cry) “…please.”

And to the one who lost, yet overcame

No longer to be be sold,

Real compassion turns

Within

The

Self–

A new tale

Now be told:

Of the battle betwixt mind and soul–

And of the Lion-hearted;

Deep within the fragile self,

Compassion’s seat–

A true stronghold—never again to be parted.

The end.

–NZain

Thank you for journeying with me on this tale of hope and the human condition.

May these words inspire beauty, compassion and hope.

The Retelling of an Old Tale.

All Was Emptiness, Except For My Own Self.

The Price of Delusion

At The Water’s Edge.

Implications of Our Actions.

Dreams Within Dreams

I’m Stuck and Need Help! Please.🙏🏻

Andúil’s Sorrow

I’m Stuck and Need Help! Please.🙏🏻

December 1, 2020

Dear Friends,

A very Merry December to you all! I hope this finds you well and in good spirits.

I’m stuck-in-muck writing the next chapter and need a bit of help making sense of the word COMPASSION and what it means to be COMPASSIONATE.

Can you please help me by sparing a moment to comment?

What is the meaning of COMPASSION?

How does one cultivate a COMPASSIONATE attitude towards suffering?

Is it better to be compassionate towards oneself or others?

As writers and thinkers–fellow members of humanity–I sure appreciate your kind thoughts and insights.

May your generosity be blessed.

With love and gratitude,

Thank You,

NZain🙏🏻

The Kindness of Bloggers

November 25, 2020

Our dear fellow blogger Outosego The One & Only–made me a cover-girl for a day!

I am touched and humbled by your kindness, dear friend. Your artistry inspires and I’m glad you are having fun with me😁. Let’s keep creating beautiful images. Maybe we save the world. Maybe not. Who knows? πρέπει να προσπαθήσουμε!

You can see more of the awesome work of Outosego–please say “hi” from me. 😊

#NZain https://t.co/SXzxB3LMHf

With love and gratitude,

Nina 💓

Dreams Within Dreams

November 25, 2020

Continued fromImplications of Our Actions.

And the tear that

Now

Fell-

Down

Chaitanya’s cheek

Was not for himself

But—

For

The

One

Whom

He cherished.

The one he knew

He had failed

To remember…

“Dearest Chaitanya, 1008 lifetimes have you and I together traversed the Universe. Always I am with you. Always…you forget me. Always you get yourself into trouble!”

The boy lowers his eyes and stares at his feet. The girl, lifts his chin with a gentle touch of her hand (smiling), “But you know my heart is stronger than that!” Both he and she laughing now at the realization of the dream within the dream, settle back into a state of ease:

Arielle continues.

“When the dark-mist rose (as it so often does), when we walked amongst the clouds, and all sense of me, was lost to you–I went to the place pre-arranged—the place wherein dwells the angel (you know of whom I speak). There the angel and I did wait, (three days and three nights alone) until the time you and I had pre-agreed: that I should call out your name.

Your name at first did I call quietly, then louder, and louder still—until you awoke from your dream (within the dream)—and remembered the place we prearranged to meet–should you ever lose all sense of me.”

Chaitanya now gazing into those crystalline eyes, “Arielle, you give me courage and hope to overcome, each and every battle we may encounter together.” And now with a twinkle in his own freshly watered eyes, “And I Myself, the most stubborn battle to overcome—“

“God willing 1008 lifetimes may we yet be reborn together!”

“So that I may remember—“

“Who loves you and me?”

“You know me!”

“Ahhhh…”

Arielle with a delighted giggle, flung her tiny arms around Chaitanya’s neck, and kissing him sweetly on the cheek, “It’s time go Chai. Time to be born.”

And Chaitan taking in a deep breath before softly sighing, “To the place wherein dwells the angel?”

“Yes, Chai. If in this lifetime you should ever lose sight of me…I’ll be right behind you. Do you remember what you told me? What the ants taught you?

“Our mother may reject us. Friends may leave us. Always there is this possibility so look within your own self and—“

“—remember who loves you?”

“Exactly! Throughout this life we must take care of ourselves and—“

“—each other!”

“Yes. And each other.”

So with one last embrace of well wishes and hopes; diving in head first

Down—

“See you soon, Ariellah!”

(Down

Into

A

New

World

Dream.)

She could just discern faint cries of the babe as she herself ready to dive in—

“Yes Chai. See you soon.”

Almost the end. To be continued…

–NZain 💓

Thank you for taking this journey through the inner-self with me. I hope you’ve enjoyed my retelling of this old tale. May the words told here create beautiful images in your own mind’s crystalline eyes. May you too remember who loves you.

Implications of Our Actions.

November 23, 2020

Continued from At The Water’s Edge.

Her name she said:

“Andúil.”

“What a pretty sound.”

Thought I. And

“Would you like to spend time with me?”

Became music to my ears.

So with Andúil did I go

And in her house did I stay; then

Began Andúil’s tale of sorrow—“

“I wondered what it was that took you so long to find me, Chai.” Sighed Arielle. And he with a quizzical look, “What do you mean, ‘took me so long to find you’? It was just a dream, right?”

“Oh Chai! Hold out your hand.”

And into Chaitanya’s outstretched hand, Arielle gently placed a half-crushed-blue-rose.

Chaitan now staring at the rose, now beginning to understand the implications of his actions, “Dear Ariellah I thought you dead! The life in your eyes no longer could I see! Your breath no longer could I feel…your sweet voice…”

And the tear that

Now

Fell-

Down

Chaitanya’s cheek

Was not for himself alone

But—

For

The

One

Whom

He cherished most.

The one he knew

He had failed

To remember…

–NZain 🙏🏻

To be continued…

Thank you for reading.

At The Water’s Edge.

November 20, 2020

Continued from The Price of Delusion

The water’s edge.

“As I surrendered and began to trust, (tears freely flowing) a powerful change came over me; I was as a newborn baby. Innocently vulnerable—my heart wide open—but unstable. I needed to rest.

And so, by a cool crystal-clear stream I lay down.

All around me beautiful images played as if I watched a movie on a screen. And deep within me, Arielle I can’t quite explain it, a strong desire grew—I knew I was being watched.

Sitting up at the water’s edge I saw for the first time, my own reflection. Such a strange and unexplainable feeling!”

“Chai? Who was watching you?”

“A strange creature with a beautiful face, stood over me. She invited—“

“She-ee?”

“Yes, Arielle. She.”

“Hmph.” Arielle crossed her arms, “I don’t think I like this part of the story.”

“And yet, this is a part of the story that must be told. But don’t worry, Ariellah–it was after all–only a dream.”

“Hmph. Continue.”

“She told me that for some time she had watched me and it would please her greatly if I came to her house for tea. As I too desired company, I willingly accepted the invitation. For how long I stayed there with the creature, I cannot say as time began to lose it’s effect on me—“

“Or perhaps the tea she gave you had an even stronger effect!”

“Perhaps. Dreams can oftentimes feel so real as if we have stepped into another world…or another’s dream…” Chaitanya gazed off into the distance as if still looking for this other world. Then returning to Arielle, “What do we truly understand of our world? What do we understand of our place in the world?”

Arielle remained quiet for a moment; then,

Smiling, “Go on, Chaitanya. Finish your story. I want to hear how the dream ends.”

To be continued…

–NZain💓

Thank you reading. Your comments and thoughts are always appreciated!