The vast expanse of subtle, rolling hills sprawled across the countryside, covered in a field of lush moss green & sprinkled with specks of white, bright yellow, & pale lavender wildflowers.
A worn dirt trail was woven through the hills like a slithering brown snake, leading into the shadows beyond the horizon.
And a wisp.
A wisp of soft yellow light played amongst the wildflowers, dancing with the charms of the wind & blending with the fireflies at dusk.
No one from the nearby village knew where the wisp had come from, but most everyone enjoyed the whimsical imagination that it sparked in their hearts as they surmised its tale.
Maybe it was a wish prancing among them, willing to grant the greatest desire of the one who would capture it.
Maybe it was a truly rare, tiny creature of light, the only of its kind.
Maybe it was a tiny guardian, charged by some unknown force to watch over them.
Maybe it was dangerous, as the unexplainable sometimes is.
Or maybe it was just a wisp who liked to dance with the wind & play amongst the wildflowers, blending in with the fireflies at dusk.
No one quite knew for sure.
Some children would chase it, laughing gleefully, trying to be the first to capture it.
Some mothers would drag their children away, worried of the unknown & yet some mothers would simply smile warmly, enjoying the scene of whimsical joy before them.
The fathers didn’t know what to make of the single wisp & so they showed cautionary acceptance of the it living amongst them.
Some villagers would try to study the wisp, others would avoid it, & yet others still would dream of the fairytales it sparked in their minds.
But, one day, the wisp changed.
Its yellowy light shifted to a hazy, bluish purple.
It no longer seemed interested in dancing amongst the wildflowers of the rolling green hills.
The wisp took singular notice of the snakelike trail & began to flit & flutter along its dusty path, seemingly oblivious to the curious & cautious stares of the onlooking villagers.
On it went, its faint glow disappearing from view as it followed its course.
And the wisp continued on, a singular mission seemed to drive it forward.
As it floated along, swimming through the air like a lazy hummingbird, it reached a divide in the path ahead.
One led to a dark, shadowy wood.
The other led to a path of hard, bright sunshine & rocky terrain.
Which way will the wisp travel?
Where is it headed? And from where did it come?
The wisp paused just briefly, as if to consider its decision.
And then it quickly disappeared into the dark wood, its light illuminating everything the darkness touched.
(That’s the funny thing about light. It only seems to brighten as its surroundings grow darker.)
And on it went, deeper into the less dark woods, until it came upon a small clearing with an even smaller fawn laying in the grass.
The wisp began to brighten as it approached the young creature who seemed lost & alone in the dark of the forest.
Warmth began to emanate from the small wisp as it seemed to comfort the tiny animal.
Gaining courage, the fawn wobbled to his feet & came closer to the little glowing light that was new to the darkness of its surroundings.
And as the fawn closed in, the wisp flitted onward, seeming to lead the frightened young thing deeper into the dense trees.
And there it was ahead, a ray of light… & then two & three.
The break in the trees was just ahead, with the sounds of leaves being gently crushed in the shadows in front of them.
A silhouette of a doe appeared near the end of the wood & the crunching leaves grew louder as the mother deer rushed with worried excitement to its young son who had lost himself in the depth of the deep, dark wood.
Reunited at last, the mother & son nuzzled each other, now oblivious to the presence of the tiny little floating wisp.
And as they cleared the wood, heading for safer ground, the little wisp had completed its mission, now wandering on to shine light where it was needed next, wherever that may be.
Coming Next Week
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Weekly Special Spotlight:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Manilla Bay Earrings
Local capiz shell is dyed a light blue/green hue & hand cut into half moon shapes accented with silver toned metal.
Artisan Information:
In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!
SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
