"Papa," asked Kyra, "why do you sit like that so much?"
Slowly opening his eyes papa smiled. "When you get my age, everything hurts. Sometimes it just feels good to do nothing."
"So there would be no reason for me to sit like that too." Kyra took her young finger and corkscrewed it into her cheek.
Papa erupted in laughter. "Come sit here with me."
"Is this show or tell, because you know how I feel about that."
"I do. So how about if I propose a compromise and we do a little of both, not too much of either, but, maybe, if you listen and watch really closely, just the right amount of both?"
Kyra tilted her head as she anchored her hands to her waist. "Okay, but I'm gonna be watching you real close," she said holding two fingers slightly apart and squinting her eyes.
"Deal. Now come over here. Do you remember me telling you about 'this' and 'that?'"
"Yes, papa."
"Well, I want to take that conversation a little further down the beach." Papa pulled a small coin from his pocket. He moved it from right to left, Kyra watching as if he were a magician and she was going to spot the trick. "Did the coin move?"
"Of course it did."
"How do you know?"
"I saw it."
"Exactly."
"Papa. Let's move to tell real fast."
"Okay. If the coin is "this" and you are "that" then we create the illusion of movement."
"I don't understand."
"Few do. And in time, you will. For now, since we are 'telling,' I'll tell you this. Movement is a function of two things. If I move, it is only in relation to something else. You see, if I'm walking down the beach, I know I am moving because I can see the trees I pass, the sand under my feet, our villa getting smaller, so on and so on. You see?"
"No."
"Okay. Let me put it this way. What if there was a room and that room had no walls and no air. In fact, let's pretend that that room only had a ball and nothing else. Could that ball move?"
"I think so. It could roll. It could bounce. Papa, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because I love you. Now listen closely. In order to bounce, or roll, or float, wouldn't our ball need a floor, or a wall, or air, or something other than itself? You see, movement only exists as relation. And relation implies two things. Like the coin and you. The coin needed 'you' to move."
"Papa, what is it you are trying to tell me?"
"Why I sit. You asked, didn't you?" Papa corkscrewed his finger into his cheek.
"Okay, okay."
"Now. I want you to think about this question. What if all the world, all the universe, everything there is, is just one thing?"
"Well, then you wouldn't be you and I wouldn't be me and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Now stand up. Give me your hands. The sun is going to set soon and I want to show it my new dance moves."
9 comments:
For those new to the story, Papa/Kyra chapters are flashbacks, by Kyra, to the time of her youth. She was raised by her grandparents on Hyneria, her grandfather the great 'retired' Zing Tao master of the ninth order.
Papa wasn't finished with his lesson, although it seems as if young Kyra was. Expect to see a continuation sometime within the next year or two. :-D
Very thought provoking.
This makes me Magic Eye images of seeing something nothing, pattern rather than form, and then seeing something, and that moment when the image inside shows itself smile-inducing and quite spectacular, especially when looking right required effort and practise. Effort required in the seeing for Kyra in these lessons with Papa and her light-hearted complaints like a game between them, her curiosity and aptitude not only allowing her to see but creating the desire and thus the lessons to start with. Like the movement of the coin, the lesson only exists in relation so to speak. Throughout the many Papa/Kyra chapters, right back to the very first appearance, they are among the favourites for their warmth and smiles and the very special relationship that exists between the two of them and the pivotal role that he held in her life. Though months may pass between one flashback and the next, the tone is captured each time, just like the chapter recently without names where still one knew who they were, amazing. As Papa corkscrews his cheek with the smile that this action brings forth is the wish that everyone had a Papa, one made just for them as Papa almost seems to be for Kyra. :-) Love the ending, and a new plan for my day, these chapters as they begin are always so welcome for one always feels the same when they end. Very special.
co existence, counter balance, polarities or scientifically put, travel needs medium...
whatever, this I feel is about neither dependence nor independence, but interdependence.
But very lyrical in its exposition!
As Always, Brilliant!
Thanks AW. There is more to come to finish where Papa was going. Stay tuned. :-)
Sweetest, the Papa/Kyra chapters almost always come with ease. The chapter you see here, once the idea presented itself, was typed, exactly as posted, from start to finish, in about ten minutes. No planning. No organizing. No thought on structure. The only way to explain it is this: When I have something I want Papa to say to Kyra, my mind shifts from being a writer, to being Papa. I write as if I am him, living the scene, literally from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. All my energy is on what Papa is trying to accomplish. The Kyra parts of a chapter like this, and I never know what she is going to say, are simply the first thing that pops into my head after Papa says something. Again, no planning or thought to her reactions. They occur in the moment, as if I'm a young Kyra, hearing what Papa is saying and reacting in that moment. Since I usually don't know exactly what Papa is going to say either, I feel what you see here, me posting from the moment, is about as spontaneous and natural as writing can be. As always, thanks for the kind words. :-)
Mona, as a paint brush needs paint and paint needs a canvas. Your beautiful words lift my spirits. Thank you.
I love Mona's comment and I agree. Brilliant.
Love to see young Kyra. You capture childlike impatience and impertenance so well!
I am done for the evening. Almost 1:00 am here and I am traveling in the morning.
See you next week.
Jen
Jen, safe and happy trails. Sometimes I think I capture those qualities of childhood so well because I've never grown up. :-D
Your kind words are heartfelt welcomed and appreciated. Thanks Jen-nay. :-)
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