25. Love All Serve All

“You know what impresses me the most about little Henry?” David asked. I shrugged.

“His innocence lead him to love everyone and everything equally, even those he had never met. In his head he rationally thought that nobody likes a candy that tastes like pepper so he took it upon himself to prevent the candy to be left behind or anyone to be discontent by the taste.”

“Yea, I saw that. He wanted the chocolate one but took the other two instead.” I said.

“Yes, yes… the other charm that boy has, he had an idea, a brilliant idea to enjoy the pepper flavored candy, with a soup flavored candy.” David laughed merrily.

“For every action there is a reaction, for every yes there is a no, for every light there is dark and for every spice there is soup.” David laughed some more, enjoying himself in the wittiness of the small boy.

“You see bella, he was not limited in ideas, and his joyful mind makes everything enjoyable. Everything is an experiment and every experiment is fun regardless the outcome. That’s how a child is and that’s how we should be.

“And how he selflessly thought about the candy and another person’s discontent and would not let that happen. How he cared for that other person who he probably would never meet and the candy that is believed to have no soul. We should all have a loving heart of a child.” David smiled.

“We all are loving children of the universe with brilliant minds and craves of new enlightenments.” He summed up. “Just like little Henry.”

I smiled and nodded. Silently I wish I was a kid again and be as free as they are.

“We all have the child in us bella, we just never listen to it anymore.” Once again I felt like David could read my mind. I looked at him inquiringly and he just smiled like always.

“And it’s never too late to be a child again… to let your soul free and live life with a child’s heart and an adult’s wisdom.” He added while opening the box in his hand.

“Here… choose your candy” he offered the color filled box.

“Does this one taste like chocolate?” I asked pointing on a light chocolate colored candy and raised my left eyebrow teasingly.

He laughed and nodded, “Yes my dear, it tastes like milk chocolate.”

“Then I’ll have this one for Henry.” I said and picked up the candy.

“To Henry…” David agreed.

Chapter 24. A Child

24

“How long have you been standing there, bella?” David asked when he saw me as he turned his head towards where I was standing.

“Not too long.” I said walking over to the bench and sat next to the old hobo.

“Were you listening to my conversation with little Henry?” he asked. I nodded, a little embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping.

“Little Henry, small at age but possess more wisdom than any adult I’ve met.” David said. “But then again, every kid is always wiser than the adults.”

“How is that possible? They are oblivious to the world.” I said.

“But their minds are open, not constructed yet, no barriers yet given from the society, schools, churches, parents and all other influences. So they are open to anything. Every thing is possible to them.

“Just imagine a kid who hasn’t been potty trained, he would do his business just about anywhere, because for him it doesn’t matter where he does it as long as he is let go of the waste. The world is a big potty-pot for him. But as he grows up and was thought that the toilet is where he is suppose to do his number twos and that it is socially humiliating to be seen naked, he starts to go to the toilet and close the door before he drop his pants and sit on the toilet seat. And just like that, the world isn’t a potty pot anymore.”

I laughed at his sentence.

“For a kid, there is no barrier, everything is possible. Even when he fails, he gets up n try it again. He is vigilant, but fear never stops his steps. That is until he was thought or exposed to what is supposedly the right reaction to failure. He learned from his surrounding that to be careful is to be fearful. He noticed that people cry and give up when they hit a little bump. He sees how failure is seen as a humiliation and was not allowed. And all the other norms that the society, religions, parents feed this kid. And so his little mind absorbed everything and he becomes more guided.”

“Are you saying that teaching the kids to be careful is wrong?”

“No bella, I did not say that. Don’t mistake being careful with being fearful. We always have to be careful, but society exposes us to fear and we tend to mix up fear with being careful.” He paused and took a deep breath.

“Sometimes we have to be that kid with no boundaries and a whole lot of inquiries. Did you hear how Henry was asking questions upon questions about that box of candy?”

I nodded. “Yes, he seems to be very curious.”

“Do the kids in your class ask you that many questions? Are they as curious about things as Henry was about the candies?”

“As a matter of fact, yes they do. But that’s what children do. They have limited idea about everything so they become curious and they find the need to find out.”

“Exactly… and are you as curious?”

I thought for a while. I did not even asked anything about those candies when I first saw them. I didn’t bother to. I thought I would eventually figure it out. I didn’t even asked David his name until the third time we met. I suddenly feel so silly.

David laughed, as though he could read my mind and was laughing at me. I feel my face flushed red. I got annoyed.

“I was curious, but I didn’t find the need to inquire cause it was obvious that they were candies and as I tasted a different one each time I take, I figured out that they have different tastes.” I said defending myself.

“Yet it never crossed your mind to ask what color has which flavor.” He mocked.

“It would have spoiled the fun.” I sulked.

“Yes, surprises are fun but sometimes some guidance would be helpful.” David smiled.

“Just like it is in life, it is no so different like climbing a mountain. When you plan to climb up a challenging mountain it would be more than helpful if you seek guidance from someone who has been to the top.

“You make and learn from your own mistakes, but you can always avoid your predecessor’s mistakes. Listen bella, to what they have to say. Listen to their stories. Listen carefully and you’ll be enlighten.” He said.

Chapter 23. Soup and Pepper

Nothing exciting happened at school that day. I walked lazily to the park, hoping that meeting David would brighten my day.

I was standing a few feet away from the usual bench when I saw David talking to a small boy. I saw him offered the boy his box of candies. I felt a pang of jealousy stabbing in my chest. I guess the thought that the box wasn’t just between me n David made me jealous.

I heard them talking.

“What is that?” the boy asked

“These are candies, would you like some?” David offered.

“There are so many of them” the boy said in amusement, “And all different colors”

Even from a distance I noticed his eyes glowed in excitement and his color rushed to his cheek. His smile widened and I couldn’t help when a warm feeling filled my chest and I smiled too.

“Why are there so many different colors?” the boy asked again.

“Because each one of them has a different taste” David said.

“How many of them?” the child asked again curiously.

“Plenty… why don’t you try one?” David once again offered the boy to pick one candy.

I find the scene peculiar. A boy talking to a homeless hobo who is offering him candies. Didn’t the boy’s parents taught him to not take candies from stranger? Where are his parents anyway? Why aren’t they looking out for him? I frowned at my thoughts.

Not wanting to distract them from their conversation, and wanting to know the child’s reaction to the candy he picked, I stayed where I was.

“What’s this one taste like?” The boy asked pointing at one of the candies in the box.

“Mangos” David said.

“And this one?” The boy pointed to another one of the candies.

“Chocolates”

“Yuummm… What about this one?” he again asked

“You wouldn’t want that one, it tastes like pepper…” David said patiently.

“What’s pepper?” The boy asked

“It’s a seasoning your mom put in your soup so it doesn’t taste bland”

“So it is a good taste.”

“Yes, when you mix it with soup, but it is very spicy if you have it alone.” David said.

“So do you have anything that taste like soup?” The boy asked.

I held back a chuckle. The boy was filled with questions and eager of knowing.

“Hmm.. I think I have something like that.” David smiled brightly. It was obvious that he was enjoying the conversation with the boy and the boy’s reaction amused him.

“Is it okay if I take 2 candies?” The boy asked.

“Yes of course. I’m guessing you want the soup taste one and the pepper one?” David assumed.

“Yes please.” The boy nodded.

David gave the boy the two candies. The boy put those two candies in his mouth at once.

“How’s it?” David asked.

“It’s hmmm… just like my mom’s soup, just a little more spicy.” The boy said.

“Tell me something, why did you take those two? I saw you eyeing the chocolate one, why didn’t you take that one?” David asked.

“Well, while I’d like the chocolate one, I thought that nobody would pick the pepper one and it will be left alone. Even if someone did pick the pepper one, they wouldn’t like or enjoy it. So I thought why not mix it and make it taste better so it can be enjoyed. And the experiment worked, I enjoyed the pepper taste candy with the soup taste candy.” The boy said in his innocence.

David smiled and rustled the boys’ head. Just then a charming looking lady approached the duo.

“Come on Henry, time to go.” She said wrapped her arm on his shoulder. She looked at David and smiled, “Thanks David.” She said sweetly.

“No problem kiddo…” David said waving his hand at the lady without standing up. She waved back and walked away with her kid.