Entertainment and Fun Page: Stories

Author's Biography: DreamDancer posts stories to the internet when the mood strikes him and graciously gave his permission for any of his stories to appear on our pages.

After a stressful day at work the other day, I decided to take a little swing thru the woods to unwind. I followed along my usual path, and just kind of lost myself in the afternoon sunshine. After a while, I know not exactly how long, I noticed that the path was different than I had ever seen it before. Hmmm.., had I taken a wrong turn, lost in my reveries? Oh well, not to matter. It was a glorious day, and I decided to go forth and see where this new path would lead me.

I came across a little glenn, and in which I saw the most beautiful woman, just sitting there alone in the sunshine. I stopped and just looked at her for a few minutes, as I'd never seen a woman quite like her. I can't really even now describe her. As I looked, the lines of my sight seemed to change, as she seemed at once childlike, a young mother, and someone who has experienced many years. It's kind of hard to describe, but I felt something warm inside of me as I looked at her. Well, not wanting to seem too weird and make her nervous, I started walking again. As the path came near to her, she looked up at me. I smiled a friendly smile at her. She smiled back at me, but it was the saddest smile I had ever seen.

I'm not usually one to talk to strangers, but somehow the sadness in her eyes seemed to draw me to stop and talk to her, and, for some reason, she didn't really feel like a stranger, tho I am sure I'd never seen her face before. "Are you alright" I asked. "You look so sad sitting here all alone like this". "Oh, I'll be fine" she said. "It's just that, from time to time I get just a bit sad and frustrated. I'm a Mother you see, and those darn kids kids of mine can be a real trial".

I asked her, "Would it help to talk a little about it, or would you rather I left you alone? Sometimes it helps just to get things off your chest." She patted a spot next to her and gave me a warm smile. "It's just those darn kids of mine" she told me again. "Sometimes it's hard to be a Mother. You do your best for them, but it never seems to be enough". "I try to give them a good home, but it seems that every time I turn around, they are messing it up. You've never seen the amount of trash that my children seem to be able to make. I try and I try to clean up after them, but a Mother can only do so much you know. Sometimes I fear that they will mess things up so badly I will never catch up".

"I try my best to teach them of life and the world around them, but of course, they know more than me. Or at least that's what they believe. It's almost like they come into the world thinking they know everything". "I do my best to feed them well, but some of them won't listen to me and poison their bodies with junk food instead. Others, while there is always plenty of food in our house to share, selfishly horde what they have, and don't share with their brothers and sisters". "I try to teach them about Love and caring, but again they seem not to listen. They fight among themselves constantly it seems, and some of my children even go so far as to hate their brothers and sister solely because they look a bit different, or even worse, because they have read and believe in different books. I don't think I'll ever understand that in them".

"I always give to my children, do my best for them, embrace them. Sometimes they act like I am not even here. They take me for granted, and it seems they always expect that I will be here to pick up after them. Now, don't get me wrong, not all my children are this way. I do have some good kids too. They help me to clean up after their brothers and sisters, they share what they have, they give love to the family. I just wish there were more of my kids that felt the way these do".

"Well", I said. "It sounds like a tough job being a Mother. I don't have kids of my own, and I don't know if I could have the patience to deal with children the way you do. I doubt I ever will. Don't you ever just want to give up and quit on being a Mother, and just go out and live your life for yourself?"

"I am their Mother, that is my life. I'll never quit while I have life left in me, because they are my children, sprung from my body, and while not all of them love me, I love them all, each and every one." "Oh, and you will have children of your own one day, and you will make an excellent father. You will teach them and love them and feel pride as you watch them grow."

Well, children have never been part of my life's plan, but somehow I believed her words, and the idea felt so good to me. I had a sudden impulse, and I drew her close and hugged her to me. She returned my embrace, then looked me in the face and said "Thank you. Sometimes you just need someone to listen to you, and some days, a hug is all that's needed to make everything seem right again."

I felt it was then time to go. I stood up, then I stretched my hand out to her. "I guess I forgot my manners for a bit there. I go by a lot of names at times, but you can call me Roger. I happen to think that you are one terrific Mother."

"Thank you Roger for being such a sweet man and being here for me today," she said as she took my hand. "Folks call me by a lot of names too, but you can call me Gaia".