Once upon a time, a girl fell down and felt a lot of pain inย her left side when she tried to stand up again. She checked her body, but there were no wounds. โIt must be something inside,โ she said to herself. She then realisedย what caused her all this excruciating pain; it was her heart.
She cried for hours, days and still the pain didn’tย go, not even subside. Sometimes, it grows stronger and moreย unbearable, which made her decide to heal her heart once and for all.
She started on her healing journey by visiting the sculptor.
She knocked on his door with a lot of confidence, certain that he’s the one she is looking for.ย
โSir, I fell down and broke my heart. I want you to mend it; can u please help me?โ
He answered showing lots of empathy, โOh dear, Iโm sorry to hear that. I wish I could help, but I only work with stone. I know a good tailor; maybe he can help you.โ
He stopped her after she left, โDear, please accept this piece of stone to remind you that your heart is not a rock.โ
She sadly left with the stone in her pocket and started heading towards the tailorโs place. Still having high hopes, she knocked on the door and said confidently when he opened, โSir, I fell down and tore my heart. I want you to sew it for me; can you please help me?โ
He looked at her with pitiful eyes and said, โOh dear, Iโm sorry to hear that. I wish I can help, but I only work with cloth. I know a good carpenter; maybe he can help you.โ
He then stopped her to give her a piece of cloth to remind her that her heart is not fabric.
She visited the carpenter to tell him about her cracked heart, but also left with a piece of wood. He guided her to the glazier to tell him about her scratched heart, but same as the sculptor, the tailor and the carpenter, he left her with a piece of glass.
She wandered on her way back to her house with the stone, the cloth, the wooden piece and the glass in her pocket.
An old woman stopped her on her way, โPoor girl, why do you hold tears in your beautiful eyes?โ
She couldn’t hold her tears and answered with a weak voice, โItโs because I couldn’t heal my heart.โ
The old woman took out a piece of old cloth from her purse. She opened it and to the girl’s surprise, itย held a stone, a woodstick, a piece of glass and the cloth.
She said with a smile, โMy dear, you are never too young or too old to heal your heart. One day, another young girl has walked your journey and collected the same pieces, but she had built a house with the stone, the wood, the glass and the cloth. She trapped her heart inside to protect it and prevent it from falling again. She built her own prison and locked her heart inside. She then realized after some time that she was still not be cured and that her heart was still in pain. She thought to herself what else can she do with the 4 pieces she got? She held the first piece she collected and it was the stone; she replaced her heart with the stone and it was stiff as a rock. It felt nothing, nor love norย hate. It was just a stone and it went well for a while, but then again she was still not healed. She took out the second piece and it was the fabric. She replaced her heart again, but this time is was too soft. It absorbed too many emotions that her heart was not ready for. She then made a wooden door; it helped her a lot to filter her feelings, accepting what only what makes her safe. And finally, she moved to the glass and created a mirror to reflect whatโs inside her heart. By that time, she realized that the 4 pieces she held were the 4 stages she needed to heal her heart. She saved all the pieces to prove to other girls that she has walked through their journey and assure them that their hearts will be healed, but they just need to believe as I once did.โ
The young girl smiled and thanked the old woman for her advice and walked back to her house, knowing that one day soon, her heart will be healed.
By: Nancy Hassab
