little heroes abounding

 

 

Well my dear ones,

 

I got some feedback on the baby ducks,

like what a sad write up it was,

which is not what I intended at all.

 

I should have said that the Mother duck

reminded me very much of the Scree,

as in, given the same abilities,

I’m sure she’d have done the same.

 

Hmm, the Scree, it’s been some ten years

since I’ve seen that little spud.

 

Yet I think I mentioned him a few years ago,

when I spoke about “little heroes.”

 

The more I think about it,

I believe we are surrounded by little heroes,

those who are quietly making sacrifices

for others’ sakes

with no thought for themselves,

no intention of fanfare or making the news.

 

*rummages around*

 

Yes, here it is, still relevant today:

 

 

(originally posted 10 July 2010)

 

Subject: little heroes

 

 

well my dear ones,

 

 

When I was younger,

perhaps due to reading too many comics,

I thought a "hero" was some huge guy,

perhaps a big Nordic guy like Thor,

with a big hammer,

or some Conan-type guy with a huge sword,

someone that used brute force

against the forces of darkness and evil.

 

But lately, I've been thinking that

there are likely many quiet unassuming people

walking about in the world

who are little heroes,

using heart to fight evil

in ways less obvious...

 

And that reminded me of that little creature,

the Scree,

about whom my old friend and mentor, Titania,

taught me some few years back...

 

 

[Shakespearian aside: those come lately

to this journal should know that

dave’s mentor and muse,

Titania, the Faerie Queen,

has been around since the dawn of Creation;

created just after the angels,

she has the most recently-assigned task

of educating dave.

As he is so slow and dull-witted,

she sees this as somewhat of a burden.

However, she has help from others,

among them, White Tiger,

the physical embodiment of human courage]

 

 

(originally posted 10 OCT 2005)

 

Subject: the Scree

 

*Titania & dave sit on a fallen tree

in the remnants of the half-acre-wood*

 

dave: "You guys left me in that bougainvillea

 for an awfully long time..."

 

Titania: *rustling her wings*

 "Trust me, it was necessary;

 you will be the better for it,

 although you still have much to learn...”

 

*she listens to a voice no human ear can hear*

 

“Hark!

 Here’s a lesson for you to see...”

 

*waves her hand over a patch of ground*

*sandy soil melts, shimmers,

 and becomes as glass

 ...the Mirror of Titania*

 

*an image forms of another patch of woods,

but the sky is somehow ‘wrong’;

for one thing, there are two suns...*

 

dave: “Where is this place?”

 

Titania: *with a dismissive gesture*

“It’s just a small planet

 that lies beyond the limits

 of your present knowledge

 of the universe.

 

“It is home to many creatures,

      among them, the Scree.”

 

dave: “Scree?”

 

Titania: *pointing*

“That small creature there.”

 

*points to a thing that looks

 very like unto a pudgy hamster

 standing about a hand tall,

 with twitching whiskers

 and eyes indicative of intelligence*

 

dave: “hey, I see fire blazing

in the woods beyond”

 

Titania: “Yes, wildfire.”

*shakes her head sadly*

 That section of woods will burn to ash

 in a few moments."

 

dave: "Why doesn't that little spud leave?"

 

Titania: "He would like to,

 but the Scree are empaths.

 Behold."

 

 *the Scree comes upon a nest among some rocks

 with three tiny featherless baby birds in it*

 

 "Those chicks are offspring of a Windsong bird;

 the mother bird will not make it back

 before the fire reaches the nest."

 

 *the birds cry out loudly

 for their mother to come save them*

 

 *in answer, the Scree tries to

 carry them to safety,

 but it is too small to lift even one*

 

 *the Scree touches one of the baby birds

 and whispers something that sounds

 musical notes*

 

dave: "What did it say?"

 

Titania: "He told them to sleep,

 for they will be safe,

 and Mother will return soon."

 

*the Scree whispers the same hopeful message

 to all three,

 and in a moment, they are asleep*

 

*the Scree painfully stretches its little body

 across the rocks around the nest

 and covers the chicks

 just as the fire rages through the area

 and burns all the woods to cinders and ash.*

 

 *In great pain and agony, the Scree dies*

 

dave: "Just as it died,

 I thought I saw power

 go out from that small creature."

 

Titania: *approvingly*

      "You see well;

 it poured its life force

 into those chicks

 that the heat of the fire

 might cause them no harm;

 it spent the coin of its life

 to save those small birds.

 

 "All that it ever was or would be

 it laid aside for the sake of others.

 And already, in Deep Heaven,

 the Scree is welcomed with great honor.

 

 "Now tell me,

 what do you think it means to be a hero?

 To be strong? To be brave?

 

dave: "That would be a good start..."

 

Titania: "To me,

 a hero is someone who risks all

 for the sake of those they love.

 And a great hero

 is one with enough love in their heart

 that they would lay down their life

 for the least of their fellow creatures.

 

 "Truly, I tell you,

 the heart of the Maker is warmed

 by the heroic deeds of this small creature.

 

 "And the love God bears for it

 is beyond calculation.

 

 "As that is for the Scree

 so it is for each one of you.

 

*Titania listens*

*dave hears thunder, and a rustling of leaves,

 and maybe the voices of the dead things

 that live on the far side of forever,

 ...or perhaps the voice of God,

 but dave sees and hears poorly,

 as through a glass darkly*

 

Titania: "Errands." *shrugs*

 "Think upon the Scree;

 would that you might do as he

 were it ever required of you."

 *vanishes*

 

dave: *to all*

 "Hmm, I guess I tend to judge greatness

 based on the bigness of external things,

 but God judges greatness

 by the hugeness of our hearts.

 I'll have to think on that one for a bit.

But for sure that Scree was a cute little spud;

 I was sorry to see him suffer so,

 but I'm glad it all worked out for him." =>

 

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

 

dave

 

 

"The greatest love you can show

 is to give your life for your friends."

 

      --- Jesus, gospel of John 15:13