I want to share a story with you. This story originates from the forests of Connecticut, as received by fellow nature educator, Justin Pegnataro. After leaving Connecticut, I have continued to share this story as I walk my winding walk. The story has evolved, as stories do. I have adapted Justin's story, from the land of Connecticut, into the written story below- may you read it out loud and share with dear friends, a special younger/ older person, and complete strangers. May you enjoy this story, and share your own!
With love,
Jiling
朋友們
我寫了一篇故事。 我不想要翻譯， 因為翻譯起來， 會很不好聽！但是， 這個故事很特別。 我每次聽了這個故事都會全身發抖。 這個故事來至Connecticut和我 的好朋友Justin。 我離開Connecticut以後， 繼續分享故事。 故事也就慢慢改變了。底下的故事是我的基玲版故事！如果你想要聽故事， 請不要用Google翻譯。。。 請來找我， 我親自跟你講故事！
祝你這新的龍年天天發現生活中充滿了美妙和神秘的東西， 讓你天天開心， 大笑， 忍不住的在跳舞！
感恩，
基玲
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Once upon a time, a long time ago, when all the world was still dark, there lived a little bird named Ji. Unlike other creatures content with crawling, flying, and bumbling through the darkness, Ji could no longer stand flapping around in the oppressively endless blackness, bumping into trees and strangers, confusing friends with food, and forever getting lost. She was convinced that there must be a better way of life, but knew no other alternatives besides the life that
she led. One day, while trying to fly as high as possible to seek an opening in the Sky, Ji crashed
into a massive mountain and went rolling down, down, down over cold ice and sharp stones. Crumpled onto the Earth, her body twisted, bleeding, and broken, Ji cried and cried, feeling painful, hopeless, and frustrated. Grandfather Turtle crawling through the forest
heard her cries. “My dear most beautiful beloved,” called out Turtle, “Why are you crying so sadly?” “I am stuck! I am broken! I am suffocating!” gasped Ji, “I CANNOT live in such darkness!” Turtle crawled over, and tenderly cleaned and bound up Ji’s wounds. “My dear most beautiful beloved,” crooned Turtle, “when I was your age, a long long time ago, my Great-Grandmother told me that there is a Sun that brings light
to the Sky. Great-Grandmother said that only the most beautiful song in the world can call out Sun.” Ji sat up straight, her breath caught in her throat, “I will find and sing the most beautiful song on Earth. I will call out Sun.”
Before her wounds were even completely healed, Ji set off on her journey to find the most beautiful song on Earth. She swam to the bottom of the deepest Oceans, learning all the songs of all the fishes, sea plants, and waters.
She clambered to the tops of the highest Mountains, learning all the songs of all the birds, trees,
plants, stones, and winds. She learned the songs of the newborn, songs of the sick and dying, songs
of joy, and songs of pain. She learned the songs of all the four-legged, two-legged, crawling, flying, jumping, swimming creatures of Earth, Sky, Water, and even bacteria. Ji journeyed up to the icy North, down to the hot
South, and all the way around the windy East until she landed back in the windy West. Every day, Ji sang a new song, each song more beautiful than the next. But, Sun still did not appear. The world was still as dark as it had ever been. Most creatures did not understand Ji’s journey, though some were sympathetically helpful. Though she was often ridiculed, Ji persevered in her quest to find the most beautiful song on Earth, and call out the Sun.
After seven years, Ji had circumnavigated, re-circumnavigated, and re-re-circumnavigated the whole world in search of new songs, stories, and ideas. One day, she found herself once more at the base of the Mountain that she had crashed into and so traumatically plummeted down, years ago. Exhausted from all her journeying, Ji fell into a deep sleep. After four days of dreamless sleep, Grandfather Turtle came ambling into Ji’s dreams. “My dear most beautiful beloved,” he called out, “just sing. Wake up! Just sing.” Ji woke up, well-rested, and empty. Letting go of all the songs that she learned, all the known songs of the world, she began to sing. Ji sang from the deepest recesses of her Heart. Her voice, at first cracked and tired, grew stronger as she drew breath from the deepest core of her belly. Her song, at first unsteady and questioning, grew stronger as she drew powerful infinite melodies from the deepest core of her Heart. Other birds in a nearby forest, startled from their bumbling in the darkness, stopped to listen to Ji’s singing. They had never heard such a beautiful song before. Intrigued, inspired, and excited, they too began singing from their Hearts. More birds in a further forest heard
the singing, and like a powerful spark, were also incited into singing from their Hearts. The song grew louder and more powerful as and more and more birds joined the singing. Soon, all of the birds from
every direction on the entire Earth were all joyously singing their Heart Songs, drawing deep full breaths from their core center, and drawing deep full songs from their heart center. No one had ever heard such music before! And then… it begins with a small reddish glow that slowly illuminates the bleak blank blackness, slowly drawing never-before-seen
outlines into existence. Everything begins glowing, until there is an uncontrollable shaking on the
horizon, colors begin exploding and dancing, and eyes must be shielded and arms must be thrown open in celebration, as the brightest, most illuminatingly beautiful Sun bursts flaming into existence to greet the brightest,
most illuminatingly beautiful song on Earth, the Song of the Heart.
