Bamboo

How high does Bamboo grow? I wondered this, as I gazed in awe upon the green skyscrapers shattering the heavens above me and the rest of the grove. It was quite a sight to behold, especially during the early morning sunrise. But the funny thing was, only a fool would think to see sunlight shine in this perplexing forest, or at least during this time of day. The hellishly dense forest made it impossible to see even an ounce of sunlight slit its way through the trees; a living barrier in and of itself from the rest of the outside world.

I enjoyed my solitude though, here in this natural chamber of pure greenery. There was greenery as far as the eye could see, with no end and no beginning. Or at least not where I stood.

My eyes still set on the trees, waiting for the sun to be high enough so I knew the day had officially begun, my eyes suddenly trailed off to the ground, where the tiniest ray of golden sunshine pierced through the trees and onto the hard earth.

But, how? It was nearly impossible at this time of day for any sunshine to be creeping through here. I looked up at the vast blue sky, yet, no sun. I was quite perplexed, and squinted through the trees where the sun had managed to enter.

Nothing seemed to be there. So how could this possibly be?

Suddenly, I heard a vague, leafy rustle from the trees. While it was hard to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from, my mind started racing. What was it? Was it a poacher? An animal? Or perhaps it was just the delicate breeze tickling at my senses. I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the noise getting increasingly louder, and unsettlingly closer.

But what was making all of this noise, you ask? Well, to my surprise, it was a Panda. Not a baby. Just a lost Panda making it's way peacefully through the woods And what a beautiful Panda it was.

I stepped aside, letting the Panda pass. But then I noticed that there was something off. It seemed that this innocent lost Panda was limping its way through the woods. It was unclear to me exactly why he was limping, but I couldn't just let him stay in this condition. It was weakening to the heart and soul, and you would have right to call me heartless if I didn't help the poor thing.

Suddenly, the large Panda stopped in its very tracks, just for a moment, and then plopped on the ground and let out a loud, waling moan. Not just any moan, a moan of helplessness. A plea for help. He was wounded, and I was the only one there to care for him.

I quickly ran into my timbered shed and pulled out some harvested bamboo leaves. I tied them together to make a rather sturdy knot, and ran back to the injured mammal.

"Shh, it's okay," I reassured it, trying my best to comfort it before it got even more startled. I tried to use a voice that the Panda would know that I meant no harm, like the cool of a dove. A voice like an angel sighing. "Don't worry, I'm here for you, big guy. I'm gonna try my best to help you."

Almost as if he could understand my every word, I tied the bamboo bandage around his left leg. The bandage itself wouldn't do much, but it would definitely begin the healing process. "You need to rest," I said. "Wait right here, and I'll make you a bed."

I scurried over to a small corner of the grove and gathered some more bamboo leaves. I stacked them down in a pile, creating a perfect resting place. The leaves of a bamboo tree are relatively very comfy when bunched together, thus creating the perfect a napping haven for the big bear.

I went back over to the Panda, still sitting down on the leaf-dusted earth. "Come with me, big guy. This way."

I held out my hand, leading him step by step to his resting area. "Don't be afraid. You can trust me, I promise."

"I'll take care of you, and treat you like family. I'll treat as if you were a pet of my very own. With love, care, and grace."

I could see a twinkle of joy and appreciation in the Panda's eyes. He felt safe, I could tell.

As I walked him to his bed, I felt something that I had never felt before, nor something I ever thought to feel. I had been residing in the midst of this dense, bamboo forest for as long as I could remember. I felt the same thing everyday, yet, I could never depict what exactly I was feeling. But now I knew. I was feeling loneliness. All this time, I had isolated myself in this prison cell of towering bamboo stalks. I guess I had been feeling like that for so long, I started to get used to it, thus, never waking up in this trance to confront my true emotions. Like this Panda, my true emotions were injured, and my soul was lost.

Perhaps this injured Panda bear was a blessing in disguise. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was someone telling me that I've been alone long enough, and needed some company, or at least for a little while.

Whatever the reason, I knew that this Panda would be staying here for quite a while, as it takes time for injuries like this to heal. And during that time, maybe I could focus on attending to my own personal wounds, ones that have been numbed by the bamboo stalks of isolation, but never actually healed.

I think I was going to like it now, with a new companion at my side. I looked up at the sky, and all this time, I didn't even notice that the golden late-afternoon sun shone proudly in the cloudless blue sky.

The graceful amount of happiness I felt was truly sublime. My injury was starting to heal, too.