When Old Soul Meet
It was dark. The night had fallen. The curtain of the day had drawn coming to its end. She sat by the window viewing the trees that stood proud and firm beyond and before her, as the wind blew and made its branches gently rock, dance. She sighed kicking off her shoes, rubbing her feet as she lay to rest in the small peach sofa bed she sometimes fell asleep in. She continued to view out the window as the night grew dimmer. Far away she could see a star or two and recognized it was Orion - the three stars in the center of a square. Again. She sighed. Was it the beginning? Was it the end? She untied and loosened her long brown hair that was set tight in a high ponytail. Her long pink fingernails brushed through her hair as she let go of the day.
Then as she continued to view out the window, his image came into her mind. She had not thought about him for a very long time. An increasingly long time. The memories started to creep in and cuddle her to a good time that had caressed her life many eons ago, or so it seemed. Her laptop sat next to her. She decided to look him up and was surprised to have found his most recent photograph. A smile invaded her heart. He looked beautiful. Handsome as ever. Like the first time they had met, except his hair was now grey, with that smile that brightened ten horizons. As she searched the memories in her heart she remembered that time that streamed like a river of photographs through her mind.
Christine and Bernd had met in Germany a few years prior. He had saved her life in a way that she would have never imagined at the time. Their connection was instant. Except at the time he had a girlfriend of 8 years. Nevertheless, they met as friends and had the opportunity to talk to each other several times. It seemed that he was confused about his relationship. Her name was Celine. Christine had met her once and saw what a special, as he, she also was. They were both very highly evolved spiritual beings and beautiful people.
One day, Christine mustered up the courage to go visit him at his office. He was a Therapist. She knocked on the door. He invited her in and offered her to sit on the nice golden blue sofa seat. They talked for a while. Then she pulled herself together and out came the gentle words from her lips: "I am in love with you."
Bernd was startled and also happy. His heart smiled and they talked about it. He had this tree that stood proud in the corner of his peaceful office. He went and grabbed two leaves and placed both of them next to each other in the palm of his hand facing her. With all the love in his heart and all the compassion in his soul he showed her the two leaves and explained to her that he had two leaves he loved, yet that he had chosen the other leaf. Allowing Christine to receive the news in a gentle way. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, and also a smile crept in, because of the gentle way in which he had expressed it. It made her heart understand deeply in a way that did not hurt her as much, for she confirmed that he had felt the same way. Even though they did not come together, the connection would be everlasting. She felt okay with it. They hugged a tender and friendly goodbye.
II
Years later Christine decided to go back to Germany to visit and learn more about the advanced modalities in her field. She had become a Meditation teacher. She had since her first visit learned about "A Course in Miracles" in the US and loved it. She took two books. One for Konray her first Spiritual Teacher and the other for Bernd (wondering if she would see him again). She arrived and settled in the little town named Sigridsville. At her arrival, she learned that he was no longer working there and had moved on. She sighed and wondered what could have been of him?
However, she was given the information of how to contact him. What was the right thing to do? Should she call him right away? The crisp paper with his phone number of Munich sat in her hand. What to do? Was he single? She looked at the Course in Miracles book that was perched on the chair next to the bed and then back at the crumbled paper in her hand. Should she give the book to him? Was it proper? She decided to wait and focus on her studies.
One day she was walking in the front path that was decorated with oak trees and walnut trees swinging their branches back and forth. A breathtaking painting of nature with mountains kissed by snow where draping the background. She sat at a bench under a tree and listened to the silent wind, when out of nowhere, someone who was an old friend from the previous time she had been there, who also knew Bernd, walked by.
They began to talk and she then asked: "what happened to Bernd and Celine?" "Oh, they are no longer together. After ten years, Celine found someone else to be with. She is with someone different for a year now," he answered.
Christine's heart. Stopped or jumped? She couldn't believe it! Was it for real?
She thanked the kind man and ran back into the building like a lightning rod.
She ran into her room, grabbed the winkled piece of paper with his number on it and laid on the bed as she looked out the window. She looked at the number, looked at the phone, then at the number again and started slowly dialing. Her hands were trembling as the phone rang and rang and rang. It felt like an eternity, would he answer? A long heart beating sigh. A gentle voice answers on the other side. It was him.
"Halo" Christine.
"Wer ist es," Bernd. (Who is it?)
"Christine, erinnerst du dich auf mich?" (Do you remember me?)
"Sicherlich, wie geht es dir? Was für eine überraschung!" (Of course, what a nice surprise!)
They talked for a very long time. She mentioned she had brought him "the Course in Miracles" book, to which he responded with please. At the end of their conversation they agreed that she would go and visit him in Munich by train. When she visited him, they became aware came that after Christine's visit to Germany she had a month off and was planning to go to visit the Greek Islands, to which he responded that at the same time he had vacation and was going with some friends to spend the rest of the Summer in Bodrum, that is situated in Turkey, very close to the Greek Islands, at the exactly same four weeks time in August!
Bodrum was especially close to the Greek Island of Kos, where Hippocrates had done his preaching. Their time in Munich was lovely, yet a little bit intense for he was still dealing with the breakup. They mentioned that if they were going to similar places at the same time that they perhaps could meet.
III
As Christine was still laying on her couch, reviewing the train of memories that ran through her mind, she also remembered when, after her practices that time in Germany, she had called him to confirm that she could like to meet him in Turkey. At the time he answered, "there are four of us going. we are going to spend one week in Bodrum by the sea to which you are welcome to. I have a sail boat and we will be working on fixing and painting the boat, but once we set sail there is only room for the four of us. Another young lady also named Christine is also coming with us, but she is just a co-worker." Christine was not to pleased with the idea and answered she would think about it.
After she had finished her studies and was ready to travel. Bernd and her got together in Munich on the day prior to her flight to Greece with another couple for breakfast that were going with him to Turkey, everyone except his co-worker was there. All they did was talk about the arrangements of the trip and Christine felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave for she was not fully invited to the whole trip.
She told him how she felt and decided not to go to Turkey. He then drove her to the airport and as she was about to step out he said: "In case you change your mind. Here is a map of where we will be in Bodrum. You are welcome to come and be with us while we are fixing the sailboat, as I previously mentioned. If you'd like?" then he looked at her with kindness and said: "you want to go to Placa in Athens, only for one day, then I suggest you move on to the islands, or, please come and join us."
Christine took the note with the map in it and told him it was unlikely. She gently closed the door, grabbed her suit case and walked into the terminal to grab her flight to Athens, Greece, as he waved her goodbye and drove away in his old, yet well kept Alfa Romeo.
IV
Christine fell in love with Athens. It was purely magical. She was dressed in a beautiful green strapless dress, hugged by a nice yellow leather belt and an artsy brass necklace that sealed her neck. From the taxi driver to the clerk at the hotel desk, to other men she met along the way, flirted with her. She was in awe, for she had read that Greek men had that behavior towards European blond women. She was blond at the time. She dropped her suitcase on the bed of the hotel and went for a gentle stroll that night into Placa, as Bernd had recommended.
It was immensely magical. Juicy Grapes hung like drapes from the roof tops in the terrace of restaurants. You could see sparks of the lights of the main city of Athens twinkling from a distance. She ordered the olives and tzatziki which was delicious dipped with pita bread.
She could somehow feel him and wished he was there with her.
IV
The next day she went to the Acropolis. The place was a pillar of memories that somehow invaded her soul. It was a complete rendezvous, especially in the Amphitheater. As she stood there in the middle of the stairs and looked down at the stage, the feeling that took over her was deep with a strong: "I have been here before." A whisper of the wind that untangled her hair confirmed the sensation.
She stayed in Athens too long. On the third day she thought that Bernd was right: "there was nothing else to do there. She packed her bags and went to the harbor where all the boats parted to the Greek islands, with no clue of what to do next. Which island to go to? She had heard of Mikonos and Santorini. As she stood in front of the map by the harbor staring at all the islands she saw that Kos was the closest one to Bodrum, that perhaps it was better to go there, for she was beginning to feel quite lonesome. She took the next fairy for a 14 hour long trip that sailed in the moonlight by Mikonos and Santorini, viewing only their shadows with stars painting the skies. It was all filled with magic and mist.
IV
Christine arrived in Kos feeling swindly, quite dizzy and was guided to take another smaller boat to Bodrum. A very different land, for it was Turkey. She had crossed the border and learned that Greeks and Turkish people don't mix to well. When she arrived, she ordered a taxi and showed the taxi driver the map Bernd had drawn to her at the airport previously and asked him if he knew where it was, to which he nodded in Turkish.
Moments later she arrived to this beautiful ocean side where there were many sailboats. The taxi driver stopped the car. As she stepped out of the car she grabbed her suitcase and stood outside for a moment not knowing what to do or where to look? As she turned around she saw Bernd from afar, running towards her, when she saw her he hugged her and said: "willkommen, du hast dich entschieden. Ich freue mich." (welcome, I'm glad you decided to come!" and immediately picked up her suitcase.
He then introduced her to his friends, the couple she had met prior in Munich for breakfast and the other Christine, who's red beat and stern face expressed how she felt, furious! Understandably so, she was in love with Bernd, however, he had clearly told her that she was only a workmate and nothing more.
The trip in Turkey was a dream and a love affair between them, that for some reason, due to circumstances could not come to full fruition.
The day before she left to spend a month to Kos, they sat together for breakfast, eating delicious greek bread dipped in pure raw honey. He looked into her eyes and said, "I wish it was you coming with us, not her, that it was her leaving not you."
They had worked on the sailboat and it was ready to sail around the ocean skirts of Turkey. It really was too small for more than 4 people, Christine understood. At the harbor as the sailboat stood tied by the dock Christine said goodbye to them all. Everyone one was in the sailboat, except her. In a way she was glad for they had spend so much time working and painting the boat, while she sun tanned, wind surfed and tanned all they long, sailing the shores with other people she had also met. She felt that in the end she had gotten the best of e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
Bernd untied the last rope, hugged her goodbye and jumped on the sailboat as it began to sail away from the dock. He stood at the end of the sailboat as it drifted away, sending her endless kisses in the air. She smiled, waved and walked away to catch her own boat to the Greek islands, the island of Kos...
V
She looked back at his photo in the computer, looked into his eyes, into his smile. He had the loveliest of smiles. He was a well-known doctor and therapist who had helped so many people come back to their health and souls throughout the years. He was not only handsome but a wonderful soul.
She remembered once when he told her: "Es gibt keine hässliche Menschen {in die Welt} - There are no ugly people (in the world)," which impressed her and made her feel amazed to see how much love he had for the wellness of all human beings.
Her heart felt that beautiful, clean and pure love she once had felt for him. A feeling she had forgotten for an extensively long time, a man she could have lived with for the rest of her life. All these beautiful memories had brought her heart to life again as she sipped on her warm mint tea. How healing it was.
She looked at the computer photo one more time, pressed her fingers on her lips, kissed them to place them on the screen on his forehead and thought:
"we will meet again... sometime... somewhere in time... "
Comments
Post a Comment