I started this story a long time ago, and was never satisfied with the ending. anyways. i think i hashed it out and got what i was going for.... so...
Once Upon a Time...
Even the sweetest song ever written or ever heard could not compare to the song that played over and over again in her heart. A simple tune that only the wind knew the words to and yet with every graceful step she took, the melody seemed to leak out. The glisten in her eye and the warmth of her smile told of her beauty. Words were never needed to know that this one was no ordinary girl. This one was particularity special and I believe He was especially fond of her.
Outdoors were a sanctuary of sorts for her. Ever changing and ever telling a new story with new growth and new sights. She found such joy in the simple things. She seemed to see Him there. In a flower or in a leaf, in a rainstorm or the thunder. Anything worthy of awe or wonder sent her heart leaping towards Him. She came closest to Him outside, where life, growing life, untainted by human hands gave a place for worship. No bells or whistles, just beauty in the things He made. These were the things she found joy in. It's where she found Him.
Warmth seemed to enter into her when she was there. A certain sense, or a knowing that He was near. Soon, she began to whisper to Him, in the beauty of His handiwork. Gently, she would tell of how she adored Him. How she adored the warmth she felt inside when there, in her untainted sanctuary. Slowly, her whisper grew to a soft voice, which grew to something slightly stronger until one day, she found herself laughing with Him in the garden.
"I'll never leave you, you know." He spoke tenderly in her ear. She didn't respond. She just sat there wide eyed, lost in His gaze. Her heart so full of love, she couldn't find the words. He felt the need to repeat Himself. "Never. I will never leave you" Still she sat there in silence. His strong hand made its ways to her shoulder. "I will never leave you." She nodded and smiled sweetly, not thinking much of the sincerity in his voice.
Spring would change to summer, and summers greens turned to autumns auburns and yellows. She loved all the colors. It was her first time experiencing fall. But then something strange happened. The leaves began to fall and as they did she felt it in her heart. It hurt. Like something inside her was falling to the ground as well. All the green faded from it. Only autumn were colors left now. All the life of spring and summers lush greens was gone.
She still felt Him there. His embrace was full of warmth. Their walks were what made her day seem worth living. He was all she had. Yet the cold weather seemed to bring a chill to her bones, and slowly, a numbness to her heart. His embrace became less warm, and His voice that used to dance around her seemed carried off by the wind.
Still she would go there. She'd gaze at the barren trees and think about the life that used to hang from it's branches. Softly she would whisper under her breath, "where is all the life? how come it's so empty here?" and her heart would sink a little lower in her chest. She wandered almost aimlessly around the garden. "Why is it so empty here?" she questioned again. She reached up and gabbed a branch from a tree. It was brittle and hard. She broke it in two leaving it on the ground. Her whisper grew a little louder as she questioned once more. " Why is it so empty here!?" Angrily she kicked a pile of leaves that sat near by. Tears began to well in her eyes. She looked up as if to yell at the wind. "Where did You go??"
Silence followed her question as the tears freely flowed, and the sobbing seemed to come naturally. She sat there, in a pile of leaves, dreading the cold, and dreading the emptiness she felt there. She wanted it back. She wanted the warmth. She wanted the laughter. She wanted the embrace, yet this vast emptiness in her consumed her as if there was no way out. As if tomorrow would never come, and today would be winter forever.
She could feel the hurt like anger in her throat, as if a fist was stuck there. The wind began to pick up, pushing hard against her tired cold body. Slowly she rose to her feet. Defeated once again, she began her journey home. As she walked, the wind seemed to circle around her, and as it did, she was reminded of the kind words He once had spoken to her. "Never. I will never leave you." She shook her head, knowing it was just her imagination. "Never", came the thought again. She brushed it off again, but the thought came back over and over in her head. "Never, never, never."
The cold wind grew warmer and seemed to kiss her face. Through blurred vision, something caught her eye. A welcomed ray of light shone through the naked trees, casting light on the gardens floor. Her heart leapt. She saw there, in the grass, a single small white flower with a yellow brushed center.
Kneeling beside it, she softly ran her fingers over it's precious pedals. "I told you I would never leave you." The gentle voice brought with it a warmth that slowly filled her desolate heart. She opened her mouth to try to speak, yet felt hushed by the presence of Him who was with her. Inside, her emotions raged with questions of the abandonment, yet the peace that came with Him overwhelmed her.
Before she even uttered a word, He began to speak to these deep secrets of her heart. "I was here all along." He ushered her to walk with Him. They began to stroll in the garden. Plucking a fresh green leaf off a tree, He placed it in her hand. She clenched her fingers around it. "I thought all the leaves here were dead" As they continued walking, she began to notice more and more green life around her. Yet the question nagged. Where had He been?
Knowing her thoughts, He spoke gently to her tender heart. "I was here all along. You have been looking for me in the open. You have been looking at what is seen. I was here. I was deep inside preparing the trees to grow new leaves again. Readying the grass to become green once more and teaching the birds the new song of spring. I never left you, just like I promised."
"But I never felt you, where were you?" He smile an assuring smile and gently placed His strong hand on her chest. "I have been deep inside, working away at your heart. I have been preparing you to bear new fruit in this next season. I have been making you ready for spring, and have been protecting you from the harsh conditions of winter. I didn't leave. No, I have been closer in this season than any other. I know winter is hard, but it always comes before spring. Trial proceeds advancement. Pruning proceeds growth."
Understanding swept over her, and after a moment, the joyous feeling she had felt so many times slowly returned- yet this time it felt different, as if a deeper part of her heart was being touched. Tears ran gently down her face, but not tears of sorrow, these were tears of joy.
