Hope

The Concert

Orbeo & TulangRusa

On the next full moon, Orbegrillo, or better known to her friends as Orbeo, planed to perform a concert with TulangRusa, the world's most beautiful harp.

Orbeo had been created with the essences of bee, ant, cricket, as well as, pollen from orchid, dandelion, poinsettia and rosemary. The harp she played, TulangRusa, had been created from the bone of a very majestic doe name Rusa. While Rusa roamed Mother Earth, she could be heard singing the most beautiful songs, making wonderful music. Her voice was magical, so elegant and loved by all who were fortunate to hear it.

Before leaving Mother Earth, Rusa had requested her bones were to be made into musical instruments. And so her wish was granted, and several instruments were then created. When completed, each instrument would, and did, produce the most melodious music ever heard, each quite heavenly. Yet not just any person could play these heavenly instruments, for each instrument could only be played by whom was chosen by the instrument itself.

TulangRusa had chosen Orbeo, and from the moment Orbeo strummed TulangRusa's elegant strands, the magic began. Each musical piece played, could not only be heard, but also felt by whomever was blessed enough to hear it. Through their beautiful music, each being listening, would become one with Orbeo and TulangRusa.

The Preparation

For this concert, Orbeo knew help would be needed, and so asked their dear friend Rose for that help.

Rose was very honored and pleased that they had chosen her to help, and gladly agreed. Watching and hearing Orbeo play TulangRusa, the most beautiful harp in the world, always brought such great joy. She knew, like herself, everyone would be thrilled to be at one of their concerts, and so Rose could not wait to get started.

She knew invitations needed to be created, and sent out as soon as possible. Creating invitations was one of Rose's specialties and so she dedicated the entire morning to creating the most beautiful burgundy and black floral invitations. Once finished, she decided to enlist help from her confident, as well as best friend, Petals. It was not just because they were the best of friends, but also because Petals could fly, which was always a fun asset.

“Petals, I've just finished the last of the invitations, will you help me deliver them?”, asked Rose.

“Sure, how many are there?”, asked Petals.

“Well, I counted at least 50. I tried to remember everyone. Maybe you can look them over and let me know if there is anyone I missed. It would be terrible if someone were forgotten. ”, replied Rose.

“Gladly”, said Petal and immediately began looking over the stack of invitations. After a long while, Petals looked up and said, “I think you covered everyone Rose. I couldn't see any names missed. Let's go deliver them.”

Rose set the invitations in her over sized pouch. It was one that had long straps which she could securely keep over her shoulder while flying. Petal reached out, grabbed Rose's hand, and off they flew.

Rose would call out a name of an invitation and Petal, knowing where the being lived, would then fly in that direction. One by one the invitations were delivered. When the last was dropped off, both were quite exhausted. Petal turned to Rose and said, “How about we go for a swim? I dipped by the lake yesterday and the water was so warm!”

Rose nodded happily in agreement, “Yes, that sounds like a great idea”. And off they flew to the lake.

Where's my Invitation?

Once the invitations had been delivered, there immediately began a buzz throughout the entire community. As time came closer to the concert, everyone's feelings grew with great anticipation. Each preparing in their own way. The usual questions began, “What shall I wear? Who will be there? Will Orbeo play my favorite tune?”, and so on.

There was much excitement to be had by everyone, well, almost everyone.

, which was short for Mikaratusi, sat visiting with Zambak who lived next door. Zambak was not only a good neighbor, but also had become a very good friend.

Mika asked, “Zambak, did you get an invitation to Orbeo's concert?” Mika was a little hesitant to ask this question, for if Zambak had said yes, then the thought of being the only one that didn't get an invitation brought on a feeling of great sadness.

“Dear Mika, I'm sorry to say, but no, I didn't. Since you had not said anything, I also thought of asking you. Do you think ours could have possible gotten lost?”, asked Zambak.

“Maybe. That has to be it, right? I truly hope that is what has happened. I really don't believe Orbeo would not have invited us.” said Mika.

Both sat sadly looking at each other, each wondering what could have happened. Why didn't they get an invitation? The thing about sadness is that sometimes it has a way of changing the way a person thinks. It can make a being go from feeling, and thinking very differently than they normally would. Sometimes sadness can bring on feelings of being left out, ignored or neglected. Emotions like these can then lead to feelings of hopelessness. Mika and Zambak wanted dearly to go to the concert, and now felt left out. They couldn't figure out why they weren't invited, and they couldn't think of a way to change it.

Both friends, began to wonder: “Did I say or do something to upset Orbeo?”, “Maybe Orbeo thinks I don't like harp music”, or “Maybe this concert is only for really close friends”, or “Maybe I'm just not good enough to be invited.”. And so it was, they let their sad thoughts carry them further and further away from hope.

After sitting like this for some time, Mika suddenly turned to Zambak and said, “You know Zambak, we could just sit here being sad, guessing and imagining all kinds of things, and yet never find an answer. I would hope that I know Orbeo pretty well. We would never have not been invited to this, or any other of Orbeo's concerts. I think the thing to do is visit Orbeo and ask.” Zambak nodded in agreement, and both set off for Orbeo's dwelling.

Patience and Hope

Across and on the other side of the woods from Mika and Zambak's dwellings, sat Patience and Hope, two friends who lived together. Each being the size of a walnut. They had just arrived back home from a long visit with “Romera The Wise”. It was Always a treat to visit with Romera, especially when there was an abundant supply of honey (which Romera always to have plenty of). Honey was their favorite food.

Both Patience and Hope being so tiny, and unless given a ride to one place or another, would take a long time to get to any one destination. They were able to visit “Romera The Wise” because of their good friend Chianti, a lovely bird friend who flew them there. For their return home Chianti was not available, and so they had to walk home, this took about two weeks.

Upon arriving home, Patience found three large envelopes sitting by the door. On one envelope was written, in lovely script, “Patience and Hope”. Another envelope had the written name of “Mika”. The last envelope had written on it the name “Zambak.

Patience turned to Hope and said, “Hope, look at this, we have an invitation to something. I bet it is like the one “Romera The Wise” received for Orbeo and TulangRusa's upcoming concert. I wonder why these others are here?”

Patience proceeded to open their envelope and saw that it was indeed an invitation to the grand concert. Seeing the other two envelopes were identical to theirs, they wondered if there had been delivered to them by mistake.

“I think we need to get these two other envelopes to the right owners as soon as possible, the concert is not that long away.” said Hope. Patience nodded in agreement. The only problem was that both being so very small, could not carry these large invitations. They had to think of a better way to get them to Mika and Zambak.

Patience and Hope were very well named, for there was nothing either did without lots of patience or hope. Hope began thinking of all the people who could, or might soon travel by their home and said, “Patience, this is bread day right? That means Lavender always passes by. I hope this day is no different.”

“Oh yes, and Fleur, another who heads to the bakery for bread.” replied Patience. "We will sit here and watch for either of them. I'm sure they will not mind delivering the invitations to the Mika and Zambak.” Hope nodded in agreement.

In the meantime, Mika and Zambak were walking on the path to Orbeo's dwelling. All the time they were on the path, those sad feeling kept creeping back, creating all kinds of thoughts, many that were not very good.

“Mika, what if Orbeo really didn't send us an invitation? I'm not sure if I want to know this.”, Zambak said sadly.

Even though Mika had been thinking the same thing, another feeling was stronger, hope. It was far stronger than doubt, and seemed to be winning. “No Zambak, I really believe there must have been an error somewhere. Orbeo would not forget us.” Mika said.

As they came around a group of large Oak trees, there sitting on a tiny doorstep, sat their friends Patience and Hope. Both were looking off in another direction, in a somewhat worried manner, as tho waiting for something or someone. Mika and Zambak decided to take a few moments and say hello to their good friends. It was always good to see, and take time for, friends after all.

Patience and Hope still intensely looking towards the woods, in the direction in which Lavender or Fleur might arrive, did not see they had visitors arriving from behind where they sat.

When Zambak greeted, “Hello dear friends”, so deep in thought were they both, that in unison, jumped up in surprise.

Once their minds calmed, they began laughing a little at their own reactions. Then realizing they had Mika and Zambak in front of them, jumped up again, only this time for joy. “Oh, Mika and Zambak, you are exactly who we needed to see. You could not have been passing at a better moment”, said Patience.

Mika and Zambak looked at each, wondering why their arrival was so important.
“We're so glad to see you also, as always. But what has made you so excited to see us this time?”, asked Mika.

“We were off visiting “Romera The Wise” and just returned home. Laying against our door were these invitations.”, said Hope pointing to the envelopes.

“Yes, yes and although one is addressed to both Hope and I, these other two are addressed to each of you. We were hoping Lavender or Fleur would pass by so that we might ask them to deliver them to you.” said Patience.

Again, Mika and Zambak looked at each other, this time with the largest smiles, and even a few tears.

“Oh, Patience and Hope, we cannot thank you enough for this wonderful surprise. We were headed to Orbeo's dwelling for this very reason. We had wondered why we were not invited and if there had been a mistake somewhere.”, said Zambak.

“Oh, Mika and Zambak, we are so sorry. You must have felt very sad, I know we would.”, said Hope, while Patience nodded in agreement.

“Yes, we did, but we know in our hearts that our friends would never intentionally forget about us for any reason. This only confirms that thought.”, said Mika.

After spending a lovely afternoon with Patience and Hope, Mika and Zambak gathered their invitations and headed home.

Both walked in silence for a bit. Mika stopped and turned to Zambak saying, “You know dear friend, I was very sad with the thought we might not have been invited. There were moments when I had lost hope, and sadness began to fill my heart.”

Zambak replied, “Yes, unfortunately me, too. It's hard to keep hope close sometimes. This time because I didn't, it led me to sadness and doubt. It seems that when I keep hope in my thoughts, it has always made me feel that things will work out. Hope has a way of always bettering things, or situations, wouldn't you say? Today when I began to hope again, that feeling of sadness started to go away, and I felt so much better. ”

“Most definitely.”, answered Mika, then gave Zambak a big hug.