SPRING PROMISE

The malachite-green fields seemed to be covered in a bright sheen under the dawn moon. Clouds shaped like tufty pillows glided slowly across the sky. They carried an airy, warm, drizzling rain with them. It cleansed the land and banished the strangling coldness and stunned silence of winter. Plinking and pattering off the leaves, then fading into memory, the rain energized the flora. It left behind a world baptized and rebirthed by its liquid grace. Song thrushes trilled as the specter-silver moon began to wane and the fog of flowers in the meadow slowly revealed itself. I could smell their aromas hovering in the air.

Versace-purple crocuses seemed to glow before my eyes. Jewel-green grasshoppers bounced atop the grass like leggy trampolines. In the stony verges, Rafael-red valerian sprouted from between coral-black cracks. Spears of dawn light suddenly drenched the farthest corners with their golden magic. A murmuration of starlings wheeled and banked overhead like wind-tossed gunpowder. The rustic scene was spirit-renewing 

"The first day of spring, the day to fulfill promises you made to yourself," i thought as i walked to the clear environment i was dropped at.

Looking for a clear spot to drop my picnic basket. I know it's very weird to prepare for a picnic during dawn but it's also best because the silence of the dawn is suitable for reconciliation.

On the first day of spring six years ago, my parents filed for divorce for a rather stupid reason and as the only fruit of their marriage, I promised myself to bring them back together no matter what.

Setting my basket down on the spot i saw as 'perfect', i opened my old dusty brown pore-filled basket and brought out a blue and white check cloth and sprayed it on the floor. If i wanted everything to go as i planned i have to use the thing my parents bought for each other to set this picnic and also to remind them of the love they had for each other.

As i put down the ceramic plate on the cloth, i added a sealed bowl of sliced fruits, a large bottle of water, a bottle of their favorite champagne with a pink bow tie wrapped around its neck, also adding a bowl of brownies which my dad loved and a bowl of fresh brown chocolate fudge which my mother loved.

Staring at the decor one last time before realizing something was missing, opening the picnic basket once more i picked up a bottle of fresh incense oil and adding fresh incense sticks to the top of the bottle, i picked up my lighter from my back pocket and lit the incense sticks, making the scent of fresh sawdust and rose flower combination to fill the air and intertwine with the wind, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of this incense which seemed to calm me.

Putting down the bottle just beside the right edge of the cloth, i stood up and cleaned imaginary dust from my body.

Breathing in and out and praying deep inside me that this works out well, i ran from my picnic setting and hid behind a huge oak tree just meters away from my setting, mum would be here any moment from now and i didn't want her to know i made this setting, so early this morning i sent her a cloned text message to meet me here with a hidden number claiming to be my dad, and i did same to my dad, i just hope they didn't call each other to find out. The sounds of screeching tires coming to a halt and the sound of a male voice coming towards my setting broke me from my thoughts, hearing the voice i already knew who that was 'dad', he came first, just then the sound of heels making close contact with the ground made my heart skip a beat...... turning around a bit i saw my mum approaching my dad and my picnic setting with a surprised look on her face.

suddenly after seeing each other after a long time apart instead of them to be happy they started another round of argument about how dad chose money over his family and mum slammed dad asking him what all this was about and if he was trying to make a gest of her, i felt shattered inside me because i did this all for them and i began to cry silently and little droplets of tears rolled from my eyes down to my cheeks but my silent cry seized the moment i heard dad actually claim he did the setting just to make it up to mum and apologize. The statement didn't have an effect on me alone but also on mum as she seemed to be quiet after hearing this. After a moment of just standing and staring at each other, they finally decided to sit down and see what i had in store for them. Hearing mum compliment the scenario and dad agreeing filled me with joy. Then they began to eat,

" you remembered my favorite dessert"

i heard mum say as she battled smiling,

"how could i ever forget"

i heard dad reply. Just then there was a moment of silence before dad finally broke the silence.

"Where did we get it all wrong"

the question made mum choke on her glass on wine, "....when...." she started "you weren't always there for your family"

she said trying her best not to cry and i felt pity in my heart for her.

"Am sorry...." dad said

"i wish i was there for you and our daughter, i just thought that if i have enough money it would be enough to make you and her happy" he ended

" happy....... you left me alone every night in the name of your on a business trip, i gave birth to our daughter..... i was alone, i nursed her, i was still alone...... and what's worse..... i was laughed at, people were asking if i was married or just joking with my life..... and they were right...... every night i slept alone the more depressed and alone i felt.... Do you know how many times i cried and prayed that you could just come home and hug me even if it was just for an hour..... but i never got any of that, just more loneliness"

she said finally letting herself cry, from behind the oak tree where i sat, i was more affected than she was.... mum was right, dad was never there for me or mum.

"Can i make it up to you?"

i heard my dad say and immediately my and mum's sobbing seized,

"From today onwards..... if you give me a chance, i'll try my best to make our family, just the type you dreamed about," he said.

"Am i dreaming?" i thought, " And why would you do that" i heard mum ask

"Because i love you and i always have.......all those times i was away i felt bad, i craved you badly but i was just blinded by the fact that i wanted my family to be at the top of the social class" dad admitted, Taking a deep breath i heard dad say

" Please find it in your heart to forgive me please, let us give this love another chance.... let's give us another chance" dad said choking on tears

" I promise.... I would always stand by your side, no matter how tough the situation would be. I would always support you, no matter how much off the track you would be going. I would never hurt you intentionally. Neither I would let anyone hurt you even to the smallest level.

I would never leave your hand. No matter, how much my hand would be hurt. If I am holding your hand today, I assure you that I won't leave it ever at least in this life. I would always stand in front of you as a bulletproof wall and will protect you from any kind of disturbance, ups and downs and problems.

I would never do anything which I couldn't do in front of you. Be it talking to any other girl or meeting someone. I am not saying that I won't talk to anyone else, neither I am saying that I will not catch up with my friends. But I want to tell you that, I won't do anything which I can't do in front of you.

I would never disrespect you. I would always give you the best respect as I give to my Parents. No matter how much angry I would be, no matter how much you have hurt me, no matter if you'll be listening to me or not. I will always respect you and your opinions.

I would always love you. I would always love you to the moon and back. I would always pray for your happiness and good health. I would always put you on the top priority. I would try my best to fulfill all your wishes and give you everything in this life which you ever wished. I would give my best to become the 'Prince of your dreams' forever and ever." Hearing those words from my dad made my heart swell with so much love and content, i felt like they were getting married all over again, turning my back to take a peek at them, i realized mum was in dad's arms like a teenage girlfriend who saw her Lover after a long time.

"Don't leave me ever again" i heard mum say

"never-ever this i promise you" i heard dad reply as she relaxed the more in dad's arms for the rest of the night and i breathed a sigh of happiness, contentment, and relief at the same time.

Today is the first day of Spring, i finally have fulfilled the promise i made to myself six years ago and staring at my parents in each other arms made me realize how important it is to keep a promise. I believe in promises. The promises you make to somebody and the promise that somebody makes to you are a sign of love, trust, and commitment. Promises define the true character of a person; a person either breaks or keeps a promise and he or she becomes known for it. That someone becomes either someone who you can trust and could promise you the world or they are someone who would forget about the trust and commitment and break what you gave him or her.

People make promises oftentimes to please other people. They don’t realize that the phrase “I promise” isn’t a pleasant phrase to be thrown around. A promise is something to keep close to your heart, not a casual statement or action. If it is broken it can really be hurtful or destructive. It can hurt a person’s reputation, friendships, and integrity. These effects of breaking a promise can destroy the person that the promise was made to and the amount of respect you and others have towards them.

Today also I promise to the world I will always stay true to those promises.

A true promise is made by someone who can keep it, someone who is true to him or herself, and to you. A person who can keep a promise enhances that person’s character, core, heart, and integrity. Anybody can make a promise, but it takes a true person to fulfill one. Promises are a powerful and special commitment that should be held close, this I believe.