To Keep a Secret

“Can you keep a secret?”

A young girl knelt by the tiny flower, whose petals had only begun to stretch open to the world. With the encouragement of a gentle breeze, the tiny flower bobbed its fragile head up and down in response. The young girl leaned forward and whispered, 

“I’m lonely.”

And with that, the girl picked up her basket and hurried away towards the market. She spared one last glance at the tiny flower, now dancing in the breeze as if in joy of having been trusted to receive a secret, and kept walking. The tiny flower continued to sway and wave as the breeze picked up speed. The tiny flower had heard the secret, but so had the gentle breeze. And while the tiny flower would keep its promise to the young girl, the gentle breeze had made no such promises. The breeze grew and grew, battering the tiny flower, until the smallest petal broke off and floated off in the gentle breeze. The breeze left the tiny flower and swept off with the petal and young girl’s secret. 

Across the fields, a young boy stood working among the crops. Droplets of sweat drenched his brow while the sun continued to beat on his back. The gentle breeze came as a welcome respite from the endless heat. Leaning on his plow, he closed his eyes and raised his head as the cooling air surrounded him, a blessed touch on his work-worn skin. A soft touch on his cheek brought the young boy out of his reverie, and with squinted eyes, he caught sight of the tiny petal. He reached out to grab it, but it skirted away just out of reach. The gentle breeze continued to swirl and flow further across the field, bringing the petal and the young boy with it. About halfway across the field, the young boy finally managed to catch the petal. He opened his palm to see the delicate petal resting still. It was then that the voice rushed past him, whispering its secret into the young boy’s ear.

“I’m lonely.”

A young girl’s voice reverberated through his mind, shocking the young boy. He turned to follow the gentle breeze, but with a final hush, it disappeared, leaving the young boy standing alone in a still field. He stood there for some time, unable to look away from where the gentle breeze had vanished. He looked back at the petal still resting in his hand, its secret now revealed and duty fulfilled. Placing it gently in his pocket, and with one last glance at the vanishing point, the young boy hurried back to his work. And far across the fields, the young girl returned home. Walking past the flower, she did not even notice the missing petal.

The next day, the young girl once again returned to the flower on her way to the market for the day. Once again, she knelt by the tiny flower and asked it,

“Can you keep a secret?”

Once again, the tiny flower waved as the gentle breeze circled the pair, hovering in wait. The young girl leaned closer at the tiny flower’s beckoning, and whispered,

“I long for a friend.”

The young girl, satisfied with having shared her secret, once again stood up and hurried off for the day, leaving the tiny flower behind with the gentle breeze prodding its fragile petals. The gentle breeze grew stronger than before, insistent in its task, until the next petal gave way and followed the breeze once again across the fields. And across the fields, the young boy was once again at his task when the gentle breeze called him from his labor. This time, the young boy did not hesitate to feel the blessed cool before he spotted the floating petal and chased after it with mighty speed. The breeze, as if knowing his play, danced more wildly than before, beckoning him further beyond his plow and even beyond where it had vanished last. The young boy finally caught up to the prancing petal; and with a final push of speed, he managed to lightly grasp the petal. Without hesitation, the breeze rushed past him, once again repeating the whispered secret,

“I long for a friend.”

The breeze gave its final hush before whispering out of sight. The young boy smiled and pocketed the fragile petal, which came to rest beside the first one. This time, he did not wait around for the gentle breeze to reappear, but hurried back to his work, awaiting the next time and the next words from the entrancing voice. One her way back from the market, the young girl spotted the flower, but once again did not take note of the petals.

On the third day, the young girl continued with her newly established routine. She placed her basket down as she knelt by the tiny flower. She gazed at it with growing fondness, thankful for its dutiful performance as her confidant and protector of secrets. Once more, she asked it,

“Can you keep a secret?”

Once more, the gentle breeze and flower danced in tandem, both awaiting the newest secret. With a glance towards the fields, she leaned in, and in the smallest whisper, said,

“I hope he comes soon.”

The young girl stood up, but she neither grabbed her basket nor headed towards the market. Rather, she watched the horizon, where a small speck stood out among the rolling fields. Unable to wait for the young girl’s departure, the gentle breeze quickly swept up the tiny flower in a swirl of wind, snatching the fragile petal and racing off towards the speck at the edge of the field.

At the edge of that very field stood the young boy. Having chased the gentle breeze, he hoped to chase if further, and so stood at the point where he had caught it last time in hopes to have a head start. When the gentle breeze made its presence known, the young boy immediately took off. He spotted the petal and gave chase. It only took him a short distance, drifting away from the fields and towards the market road, but the young boy quickly caught the petal and stood waiting to hear the voice on the gentle breeze. This time though, the gentle breeze did not rush. It hovered and circled, before slowly trickling past the young boy, caressing his cheek as it once more whispered its secret,

“I hope he comes soon.”

Task completed, the gentle breeze lazily completed one more circle before it gave a final hush and was gone. The young boy looked down at the petal in his hand. After a few seconds, he looked up, only to spot the young girl looking at him. With one more glance at the petal in his hand, he returned her gaze and walked towards her. Stopping a few steps in front of her, the young boy paused, hesitating as he and the young girl stood there regarding each other. Finally, the young girl spoke up,

“Can you keep a secret?”

Her voice echoed in the young boy’s ears. He smiled, having heard once more the beautiful voice that had called him from across the fields. Reaching into his pocket, he took at the other petals, and extending his hand, held all three out to her. The young girl’s eyes lit up in recognition and understanding. The young boy replied,

“I can.”