REUNION IN THE GRASSLAND

Clouds shaped like cotton-balls adorn the sky. The sun was making its majestic ascend to brighten that windy morning. The sheep decided to graze in that grassland in a valley where animals from different forests would usually gather to feast on the grass still wet with dew when the day is still young.

After feasting on the grass the ram playfully ran toward the rocky part of the grassland and settled atop a boulder at the highest point. He seemed to be in an elevated position overlooking the animals partaking of the green grass that the Almighty One abundantly grow in that grassland.

From there he spotted some animal-friends from a forest where he used to stay… they were the rabbit, kangaroo and the elephant. Excitedly that the sheep skirted down. He called them out and in no time they were together exchanging pleasantries and banters.

“What is this? A reunion? said the ram.

“Yes sheepish punk, hehe… you seemed to have gained weight,” blurted the elephant.

“You are also more wooly now” the rabbit added.

“You are seemingly having a great time in that new forest where you migrated,” that was the kangaroo.

The sheep just smiled and said, “Well, need I say anything when you already said the obvious… hehe. Kidding aside, material provisions are better in your forest… the pastures are greener… there are more streams where we could drink sweet water… the trees are higher… but I am happier in the forest where I am now.

“WHY? Inquired the rabbit.

“Well… to start with, there is no foul-mouthed hippopotamus in our forest…,” the sheep retorted jokingly eliciting a hearthy laugh from the elephant and a slight tap in his nape from the kangaroo.

“Hehe… Just kidding… I harbor no ill feelings anymore towards your leader in that forest. I am happier now because I chose to be so. I just don’t know why suddenly I felt tired looking at the negative attributes of people around. Now, I just want to appreciate the best in them, the good in them.”

“WWEEEHHH!” the kangaroo, the rabbit and the elephant chorused in disbelief.

“Yeah, it’s hard to believe. But I really got tired reacting to harsh words and actions fellow-animals commit against me. Nothing good happened whenever I try to get back at them. Now, I just want to work hard. And I work hard not to impress and satisfy anyone. I work hard because that’s what I should do.

“AMMENNNNN!” the three animals shouted in unison.

“I am contended. And it helped that our leader in my new forest, the eagle, is much like similar to the tiger who once led your forest before the hippopotamus came. Just like the tiger, the eagle, our leader in my new forest is strong yet benevolent. The animals who would not act in accordance to the codes of our forest will experience the wrath of her beak and talons… and those who do can cling to her wings as she conquers the highest frontiers of the sky.”

“Good for you,” the rabbit said with a heavy heart. “Many are planning to leave our forest and seek refuge somewhere else because the hippopotamus is back with a vengeance and is literally bulldozing her way around much to our consternation. It did not help that her bestfriend, the bear, was reelected as head of the council of elderly animals.”

“Yeah! Our situation in our forest is more than gloomy. Many indeed will be making an exodus unless the council of elderly animals will do something to remedy the situation,” added the kangaroo. “And definitely these big hind legs I have I will use to jump off that forest before I lose my sanity.

Then the ram said, “There are times when we should not put into the hands of other animals, no matter how elderly they may be, our destiny. We should dictate our own fate and not wait for other to do things for us. I don’t know if you’re getting my point.”

“Of course we do, but that’s easier said than done,” the kangaroo responded.

The ram decided not to expound on the matter. He just shrugged his shoulders off. Then there was a moment of silence.

“Should I say I envy you ram?” Those were remarks from the elephants.

“You said you have a great leader in that forest and I presume your fellow animals in that forest are also okay.” Added the kangaroo.

And the ram said, “Well, generally speaking, my fellow animals there are good ones. But I’ll be lying if I say that my forest now is a complete paradise. You must remember that in any forest, there will be snakes, monkeys, and crabs. That’s one reality that I needed to accept and contend with. Actually there’s the  pesky cockroach and the laughing hyena there that I need to watch out for. But I know how to deal with them. I know what to do.”

“Just be careful,” that was the elephant.

The ram retorted, “Thanks, I am always careful. Don’t forget dear elephant that I was not born yesterday.”

“Yeah… the same old fiery ram,” said the kangaroo to which the rabbit added, “That sheepish punk, hehe… remember, is a ram with a pair of hard long horns. That makes him the ‘horny ram’, right?”

Then the ram with his animal-friends broke into laughter.

“Hey, what I meant with ‘horny’ is having hard long horns, not anything else you naughty animals,” the kangaroo said apologetically.

“Hey, the mighty sun is up. Grazing is over. We better get going. We have works to do in our forests,” the ram said.

“Yeah, come rabbit and kangaroo. Let’s go home to our paradise, to the loving arms of our beloved hippopotamus.” That was the elephant.

“Beloved huh!” the ram exclaimed.

“Bye sheepish punk… bye ram with a pair of hard long horns… hehe,” the rabbit said in jest. “Till we meet again.”

And the animals parted ways and went back to their respective forests.

The ram playfully climbed the rocks going up to the edge of cliff where he usually rests and waits for the setting of the sun.