Anne

Riley Burcaw

The Greatest Lesson

Nora Sanchez

The sun circled around her waist and she knew the new day had begun. Today was going to be even more beautiful than the last, she could feel it. Today was to be a momentous occasion, she just couldn't figure out why.

Her atmosphere felt less familiar as the sun hurriedly warmed her surface, the clouds cleared themselves and the soft breeze tickled her skin. Her fruit trees birthed beautiful red apples and vibrant yellow bananas. The trees’ branches stretched out farther like extended, welcoming hands. Their trunks bulked up, heavy and strong. The rocky cliff faces hallowed themselves out into deep, dark caves. The fast, gushing streams and rivers slowed their flow and the banks settled themselves. Large bodies of water subsided, revealing smaller chunks of lush, green land.

“Just doing some housekeeping before the guests arrive. You want to look your very best, don't you?” The sun replied to the Earth’s quizzical gaze. “Oh of course I always want to look the very best, but I’m confused. What guests Momma-

“Oh my, they’re here honey! Don't be rude, say hello.” The Earth glanced over her magnificent body and shook with excitement as she peered at two peculiar creatures she had never seen before. All of the sudden, the new creatures ran and grasped onto the nearest tree, holding on for dear life.

“Oh dear, you’re startling them, try to be still!” The Earth started in amazing as the little humans tentatively crawled out from under the trees.

“Oh Momma, what are they?”

“They’re your new babies. You’ll take care of them like Momma takes care of you!” “Oh my, thank you, thank you, I will love them like you love me too!” “Now, you’ll make an excellent mother, but you have to do this alone. I can’t stay close, my heat will make them uncomfortable,” the sun said as she began to drift farther away from the Earth.

The Earth felt herself shiver from the gradual loss of heat. She was speechless. There was no whining, no crying, she had to step up to the plate. She may have been so young, but it didn’t matter. She was a mother on her own now.

Before feeling the full extent of her mother’s absence, she focused on her people.

The were two of them. One was bigger than the other, his legs holding him tighter, his limbs bulkier, steps heavier. The other had a small physique. Long, black hair tickled the backs of her knees, her walk graceful and smooth. This arms and thin legs, but wide hips. They strode side by side, hand in hand.

The Earth remained idle, watching what they did next.

Vines decorated the ground before them and the man’s foot caught on one. He fell, with arms flailing, right into a shallow crevice. Not deep, but the walls were to steep for him to climb up. He cried out to the women bent over the edge. She looked down at him, her face afraid.

The Earth panicked. She quickly began twirling her vines to make a sturdy rope, but then she remembered something. The sun once told her that sometimes helping yourself can teach you a very important lesson. So, the Earth stopped and resumed her watching. I will teach them compassion, she thought.

The woman strapped more and more vines together, as the Earth had. Finally, she slugged the heavy, thick vine over the edge. It slapped the ground and a loud ka-hud sound resonated throughout the crevice. The man scrambled towards the vine and hoisted himself a couple of inches off the ground. Up above, the woman tugged on the robe with all her might. Tireless grunts escaped her mouth as she pulled with all her weight, her back almost against the ground. The Earth gazed at them, resisting the urge to raise the ground and see them together again. After about a minute of laboriously lifting the vine, the man was at the woman’s feet again. He stood up, until suddenly, he fell into her. He wrapped his tired arms around her waist and she reciprocated the same. They stayed like that for a while, grateful to be in each other’s again. Their long embrace ended and they strode away from the crevice.

They left having learned that in this life, they had to love and care for each other because they greatest strength they had was each other. If they lived by that definition, everything would be alright.