The kind-hearted cloud

 

Very few clouds were moving in the sky decorating its blue color with white touches. It was God’s joy! Everything shone under a brilliant sun. A beautiful day.

Nefeli a young cloud, had just started her world tour. Behind her, at a short distance, was her mother, Lefkothea, who watched and advised her. Her father, Aether, was not with them. He was traveling far to other worlds.

Nefeli looked ecstatically at the beautiful nature that spread over the surface of the earth and was constantly asking her mother:

-Where are we going today mom? What else will we meet?

-Before we move on, Nefeli, and before we disappear into the vast sky, you should learn some things about us. Who are we, the clouds? What is our role in this world?

-I am listening, mom, Nefeli said and stopped running.

-We are the children of the water and the sun. When our father, the sun, heats our mother, who dwells in the sea, the rivers, and the lakes of the earth with his rays, the water evaporates and rises high into the sky. Here the atmosphere is colder, and these droplets turn into clouds. The wind with its caresses and gusts helps us get our shape. You were a part of my own body and the wind that blew made you stand out and gave you substance. Some of us are weightless, always moving, some are heavy, full of rain and lightning. But all of us, in one way or another, will fall to the earth to water it and in turn it will bloom and beautify the world.

-And what happens next? Nefeli asked anxiously. Will we perish, will we cease to exist?

-That depends, my little Nefeli. It depends on what we want to give back to the world. It depends on our choices.

-And what does that mean? Nefeli asked.

-Come on, let’s ride the wind to travel with it far away to see what’s going on in this world we exist in. Not everything is beautiful. There are also evils. If we manage, with our choices, to soothe evils and give joy, we will gain consciousness and consciousness is never lost. It remains forever.

-I don’t understand, Nefeli said, puzzled.

-Come on, I’ll show you. Do you see those people down there being chased by someone to hurt them?

-I see them. Is there anything I can do?

-We will descend, like a mist, and hide them. So those who are looking for them will not find them. We will save them.

-They both dived down and a fog covered the earth. The hunted people hid in it, and their persecutors lost them. So, they were saved. When everything calmed down Nefeli and her mother began to climb high.

-Now I’m going to get smaller, Nefeli thought. The temperature on earth is higher and I left several of my droplets there. Surely I am smaller now.

But she felt heavier, going up.

-What’s wrong mom? I know I have left several of my droplets down and yet I’m heavier. How is this done?

-Consciousness has begun to be created inside you because you have done a good deed. You helped some people who needed you. See, in you there is a light. This is consciousness. And consciousness has a gravity that is never lost.

-Oh, how nice! Exclaimed Nefeli. Mom, I see a light in you too! You too have consciousness!

-Yes! That’s why I’ve been around so long, and I’m not lost. Soon it will be dark, and the wind will die down. Tomorrow, when it starts to blow, we will travel with him far away, to Africa.

That night, in the darkness, little Nefeli could not see much on earth. Only the lights of the cities flickering like diamonds. But what was more beautiful was the black sky with the stars and the moon.

-What a beauty! She thought. How it all shines in the darkness!

Then she realized that among all these wonderful lights, her own light, her own consciousness, was shining, and she felt so proud of it.

As the next day dawned, her mother reminded her of the trip to Africa. Nefeli was ready for it.

-Wind, spoke her mother, Lefkothea. Will you blow to take us to Africa?

-Oh, oh I’m bored, answered the Wind. It is far away, and it is very hot there, Mrs. Lefkothea. Aren’t we staying where we are?

-No, Mr. Wind. I must teach Nefeli the second lesson of how to gain consciousness.

-Alright, said the Wind. Since it is for Nefeli I will do it.

And it began to blow strongly, carrying Mrs. Lefkothea, Nefeli and some other clouds that followed them. It did not take them long to reach Africa.

There Nefeli saw that the land was dry, the animals could not find water to drink, and the children were crying, pulling their mother by the skirt.

-How sad I am with what I see! Nefeli said.

-You are sad because you have gained consciousness, her mother told her. Otherwise, you wouldn’t care. But we can help. That’s why we came here.

-How? Nefeli asked.

-Wait, and you will see, said her mother, and addressed the Wind again. Please, she said to him, go and bring my husband Aether. He is not far. You won’t be late.

Murmuring the Wind went away for a while and returned with Aether. Nefeli was glad to see her father, even if he looked gray and strict. Her mother told him why she had called him and immediately he began to growl and call all the clouds near him.

Then a crazy party began. The clouds beat their heads and thunder could be heard. At the same time lightning and lightning bolts illuminated the dark sky. But most importantly: rain began to fall on the earth and irrigate thirsty animals and people. The children raised their hands high with joy and opened their mouths to drink the water that was falling from the sky. By the time the storm was over, the clouds had dissipated and disappeared. All that was left was the consciousness that some of them had. Those that they did not have, were lost forever. Nefeli and her parents, who cared about people and nature, maintained their existence even though they had lost their droplets.

-Do not be afraid, said Mrs. Lefkothea to Nefeli. Other droplets will soon gather and frame our consciousness. It won’t be long before we become clouds full of foam and beauty again.

Indeed, as the wind carried them away, droplets rose from the surface of the earth and gathered around their bright consciousness. This time Nefeli felt that she had grown bigger and filled with confidence and joy.

-Now what are we going to do mom? She asked her mother, Lefkothea.

-You have learned so far two of the three lessons you need to know. You first learned to protect the weak and the persecuted. Secondly you learned to take care of the thirsty and poor. The third lesson I will teach you is a little different: how to beautify people’s lives and give them hope. We will go to a country where there is a war.

-What is war? Nefeli asked.

-It is the most evil thing on earth. People are killing each other out of selfishness, greed, and stupidity. Those who live in an area with war are unhappy and afraid. We can’t do much about it, but we could offer them something.

-What? Nefeli asked.

-Beauty and hope.

So, they traveled, riding the Wind in a country that had war. Nefeli saw the destroyed houses, the deserted villages, the burnt forests, the crying children, and the soldiers who were very sad.

It was afternoon and the sun was going to set.

-Come on, her mother told her. Take a stand here against the sun, which as it sets its rays will reflect on your droplets and give you all the shades of red, pink, and orange. You will be the most beautiful thing nature has to offer.

Nefeli stood next to her mother and a thousand shades of light adorned them. Nefeli looked down where the children, their mothers, and the soldiers sat, sad and scared. At first, everyone was so closed in on themselves and their misery, that they did not notice the beautiful spectacle. Two tears came out from Nefeli’s heart. One dripped onto a child and the other on a soldier. They both looked up. And then they saw all the beauty that stretched over their heads. The little boy raised his hand and said:

-See mom. The sky caught fire! How beautiful that is!

The soldier stood and looked up. The other soldiers raised their heads and saw the beautiful sight. For a few minutes their souls were filled with the beauty of heaven, and they forgot that they were fighting. Those bright clouds filled them with the expectation of peace.

-Let’s come tomorrow,” Nefeli said to her mother.

-Yes, we will come every day, until peace is made.

Leaving that night and traveling again through the sky, Nefeli felt her consciousness grow bigger and shone brighter.

-It’s kindness, her mother told her. The kindness that every time you offer becomes greatness. It illuminates you and all the creation around you!