M is for Mother #AtoZChallenge

M is for rejected Mother.

The Keeper and the Egg

Image by Pixabay.

Once upon a time, there was a priceless emerald egg…very much prized by its Keeper.

One day, a Taker came along, and stole the Egg, and mangled it beyond repair. The Keeper of the Egg was distraught, and tried to find a way to prevent this from happening again. The Keeper knew that the Taker would try again, and was in a world of fear and anguish, because she only wanted to protect her precious egg.

Over time, the Egg began to get restless, and resented the protection of the Keeper. The Egg even went so far as to go against the laws of the Creator.  The Egg’s hatred and resentment of the Keeper grew the more time went by.  The Keeper was heartbroken, grieved more than she had ever been grieved in a whole lifetime.  The more the Keeper held on, the more the Egg fought to break the grip that was meant only as protection from the Taker.  The more the Egg fought to break free, the more the Keeper feared that the Taker would win, and the tighter she held to the prized emerald Egg.

One day, the Keeper turned around, and the Egg was not where it had been left for safekeeping.  In a panic, the Keeper searched everywhere, to no avail. Then she spied it…a note, and it was signed by the Egg.  The Keeper was excited, and hurriedly read the note written by the beloved Egg.  The happy smile of the Keeper quickly faded into a pool of tears.

The note from the Egg spewed hate and loathing against the Keeper, and happiness at finally escaping the Castle.  The Keeper was so confused.  She had protected the Egg from the Taker, and had given completely heart and soul to the care of the Egg, even to the point of great sacrifice of the Keeper.

The Keeper was split…a divided soul, extremes a world apart but closely connected.  One half of the Keeper was sad to the point of wondering why she was even alive, because even her prizes didn’t love her.  One half was filled with resentment because of a life seemingly wasted because she had loved the Egg so much.  In utter despair, the Keeper saw to it that no one could hurt her heart in this way again.  Gifts were unwanted…there would be no gifts to give, and she would not be around to give them.  The Keeper went to find comfort in the arms of the Creator, the Creator that was also scorned by the Egg.

The Egg was away for many years, taking for granted that the Keeper would be there when it was convenient for him to come for a visit.  Many things had changed the heart of the Egg.  All alone, the Taker had found the Egg, and he was badly mangled once again.  The Egg stared in shock and disbelief to find that the Castle had been abandoned.  “Where is the Keeper? But the Keeper said she would always be here for me.  How could she abandon me?” and many such thoughts ran through the Egg’s mind.

The Egg, after some time passed, saw a faded letter on the floor…a tattered yellow piece of paper, stained by water and the passage of time.  He picked up the letter, and sat down and cried.  The Egg could not believe that a letter so cruel could have ever been written to the Keeper.  To make matters worse, the water stains were in the shape of a shattered heart, and the Egg realized these stains were not of water, but of tears…many tears cried over time by the Keeper as she grieved for him.

The Egg hurried through the Castle, searching once again for the Keeper.  Not finding anyone in the Castle, he went to search the grounds. What the Egg found would stay with him for the rest of his life.  For over in the meadow, just barely peeking over the clover and thistle, was a marker that read:

“The Keeper was once here, but now rests in the arms of the Creator, a broken heart now healed.”

At that moment, a delicate butterfly landed on the hand of the Egg as he reached for an aged rose lying on the Keeper’s marker.  On the wings of the butterfly, spelled out in the pattern designed by the Creator, was this message:

“I will love you forever….the Keeper.”

Written by Suzanne McClendon © 26 March 2003

Have a blessed day, y’all.