The Musical Forest

The tiger eye glistens, urging Troy to make a move. Years of travel allowed him to explore so many new lands, learn a wealth of lessons, feed his wide-eyed thirst for the unknown.

His travels brought him to the Musical Forest. A little girl sitting behind the desk looked up as Troy walked into the little rattan hut. Her brown eyes were the same color as the stones in her ear-rings, Troy recognized that hue, it reminded him of a companion, urging him to go on and on. He glanced at his tiger eye ring.

She picked up a book and ushered him. Troy wrote.

Troy René

6:22 am

She took a lantern and led him to his own little hut. Troy put his bag down and looked around. Intricate designs made of bamboo, rattan, and leaves adorned the walls. There was a small bed in the hut, which was also made of bamboo. Troy lay for a while. He had walked a long way to reach this place and he will need to walk again in the afternoon.

Troy woke up with a slight bustle of the reed curtains. The girl walked in with a cup of tea and some freshly baked buns. She said, “The tea will refresh you. Please have your food before you leave.”

He sat and had a sip. The tea was indeed a refreshing minty flavor with a hint of Chamomile. He felt ready to head out for his trip. He picked up his backpack and came out of the hut. The walk to the forest is an hour-long, amidst the greenery of the retreat.

“Walk along the track, Mr. René San, amidst the Chamomiles and Daisies. Listen. When you near the forest you’ll hear music. Wait till it gets quiet, the trees sing.” had said the funny old man with a pointy hat and long beard. His use, rather an overuse of honorifics always made Troy smile. 

Troy loved the warmth of the beautiful afternoon sun. In the dappled light of the walkway, surrounded by bushes of poppies, chamomiles, daisies, and many other herbs, he walked forth along the track that was supposed to lead him to the forest. He lost track of time. Walking amidst the serene garden filled him with a sense of calm, an emotion, a wanderer rarely experienced. Was it this calm he longed for so long? 

His train of thought was broken by the shallow murmuring of an ambient sound. Troy looked ahead. A beautiful green grove welcomed him with a myriad of sounds. Tip-tapping to the swish of winds, drumming to the beats of nature, the leaves rustled and added a melody as the soft breeze blew past the lush green bamboos. He walked further in, witnessing an orchestra of nature. It was the forest playing the band engulfing with a surreal presence. It was cool, deep in the grove. The sunlight danced on the forest floor in sync with the music of the trees.

1

Troy found a big rock and sat down when he heard a mesmerizing sound like the whistle of a flute. He looked towards the direction from which the music was coming. The leaves at a distance were moving as if something...or someone...was moving behind them.

He looked intently to see the source of the music. But the more he tried to focus, the more the symphony consumed him. It soothed him. His eyelids grew heavy. With the last inch of his motivation to stay awake, Troy thought what he saw emerging from the woods, the Green Dragon! Tranquility overwhelmed him and he closed his eyes, like a child falling asleep on his mother's lap.

....

Troy woke up feeling one with nature. He realized nature has in itself all that we need, nature is all-powerful. One must respect nature, and nature heals one, in return. It was a short track, yet it moved him. As he walked back, he had a smile on his face. The life of a Traveller is indeed a testimony to all such lessons that the world teaches. He felt funny and remembered the old man who sent him on this trip. 

Far far away, there was a set of green eyes, looking out at the morning sun, smiling and speaking to himself, “It’s been a while that I let this window open, and look what just flew in? A little greenfinch!” 

Just then the gate tinkled and he heard the children giggle. 

“Aah wait down there, I am coming!”, he said, as he gathered his old steps and started walking downstairs.

Want to read more?
Part 1: The North Wind
Part 2: The Tiger Eye
Part 3: Mystical Butterfly
Part 4: A New Beginning

Also The Mountain's Lullaby
The Moonlight Pond