Story Write Compilations Volume I Stories 46

 St.Valentine as told to me

 

Author's Note:

Bless thee Father for without his love, we would still be lost.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

I do not know what lies ahead of me as all I ever can see is a single dark image. It's the sight of one who is without the gift of sight. But as I am without sight but I am no clumsy lady of my age. I can hear and smell better than most and what I feel gives me shapes on my mind. I am now led by the person I know as my father who is ever anxious for me to see what he can do with his eyes. But many times, I have lamented to him that none may be to cure me of my ailment as he calls it. I know how he feels as his daughter sits by the patio listening to the sounds of others who may be in a play or on a stroll, but little does he know I can smell the lilac growing at the flower bed beside our home, and the sound of the wind as it weaves through the spaces in between the houses.

 

"Aargh!" as my feet stepped on the damp floor of the place I am to venture with my father. "Father, pray to tell me we are not going into your place of work. I find the smell there very uncomfortable." I am already picking up the pungent aroma of the place he worked as Mother used to bring me along when she was with us. It was a time when the family could live as a whole and happiness prevail despite the pain of the infliction on their daughter. But it was soon to end with her passing and my father's inducement with the liquor. His sleep in the night assisted by its intoxication makes rest then a disturbing one as his snores keep me awake.

 

"We are here, my child." I find my touch on the familiar walls of his workplace. It's damp and coated with the grime of dirt and waste. "Priest, I brought her now. Please do your merciful acts for us. I will pray to your God as if it's mine. Do it."

 

"Father, why do you speak in such rude words? Our faith is within us and we may not impose on it nor can we impose on it?" I am deeply sad at my father for his shallow thoughts on the belief of the faith. Mother when she was alive used to take me to the place of worship and we will pray on our faith. Most times on my recovery as that was her main concern then. She used to drag my father along as he was not one of the strong believer's but he came along. For my sake. Like now.

 

"Hush, you girl. I am speaking to the Priest." His words are like a slap to me as he rarely raised his voice on me. I can hear the shuffling of the body and then the smell that comes with the person. It's not usual for me to smell a man covered in dirt and grime on my visit here, but this one is different. He does have the smell but it's not pungent in my nostrils. Yet it comes as a refresh to my senses. What manner of man am I to meet?

 

"Fear not, my child. I meant you no harm. If you were to permit me your belief, I would like to extend mine. It's not of any miracle I can do but the works of GOD. He works in many different ways that even I do not know how and why, but I leave it to his judgment on the action. I am but his faithful servant to serve his works here." I felt a hand on my forehead and then over my eyes. I remain still with my eyes shut tight as even as I do not fear him, I cannot find move my body as I wanted. I am not in a spell but I require him. "I heard of your ailment from your father, but as I have said, I do no miracles. It's the work of God who does it. If he chooses to cure you, he will do so."

 

"I understand, Priest. I do not impose on you for my recovery. I have been blind since birth and all I need to see is within me. But I do desire that I can see the things that others do. But one's desire and need can be a distance apart never to be met. I am resigned to that fate." I know myself from the days of those runs to see the healers in every corner far and near. But none has done any which will show me a slight belief that my sight will recover.

 

"Have faith, my child. GOD sometimes tests us in his works but he is ever merciful in his grace. Maybe your ailment is not to be cured but a gift of the sort which you can work with." He may have spoken the truth but my father was harsh to act. I can hear his whiplash on the Priest as he cursed at the latter for the truth he may have spoken.

 

"Father, please do not do that. He speaks his mind and I fear you are the one who cannot accept the truth." I reached out and found my father's arm. I pulled at him to stop his loathsome act on one who does us no harm except to speak his mind. He relents as I can feel in his arm, as he lowers his whip.

 

"Forgive me, Priest. She is my only child and I do not want to see her walk alone when I am gone. You are a Priest and of the knowledge on the books. Pray teach her the words, so that even if she would be joining the convent, she may be a learned one and not a servant of the broom. I beg of thee for thy mercy in granting me this last wish." I cannot see but I can feel the rustling of the body clothes. My father had to bend down to seek the Priest's help.

 

"Arise, my jailer. I did say I cannot perform Miracles but GOD may. For what you asked later of me, is not his works but mine. I can teach as I was taught, and she will learn as I have learned. But please heed as what she would learn is my Faith. If you can accept that then the Words I will impart to her will be the Words of my faith to strengthen her beliefs in the way of GOD." I listened and I know the Priest's words may be harsh to some but I find solace in his words. I felt enlightened in myself as if I am to free of my bonds. Maybe I am as he would be the second teacher in my life besides my mother.

 

"Thank you, Priest. May I know your name........., Teacher.?" I know we have spoken for a long and yet we were never introduced.

 

"My given name is Valentine. I am a Priest of the House of GOD. I know your name, Rose as your father has spoken of you to me. We can start our lesson as of now as time is not on my side. Hush, Gaoler. I know my fate as well as you know the inmates in these cells. The Emperor will soon call on me for the execution as he is vain and fear of my influence on the numbers he calls his army. His decree that none may marry is against the Faith as it's a selfish act of his thinking he is doing good for them. But MAN will fight well when he has a reason to fight, and what better reason than that of his Family. None sits above his concern for his family, not even Emperor or King. He is a poor Emperor with poor Advisers around him. It will be his downfall if he does not get his ways corrected."

 

"Hush, Priest. I can save no more of you if you condemned the Emperor with your mouth. He is Almighty here and his command is ours to order." I can sense my father's fear for his Emperor but I am sightless and yet what is an Emperor to a Priest when both I cannot see. For in my sight, they could be both a square or round or even nothing in my mind. I know my father and mother well as their image is defined by my mind, but if you asked me to describe it would be like telling you how an elephant can fly over the walls. Ha! That was what my mother told me once when I asked her to describe the boy next door. It's our line of jest in my sightless world.

 

"Rose, please sit by me. I would teach you not of written words but the spoken ones. They are faster and easier to pick up and above all remembered. But you must tell me when you tire or other needs. Then I will continue on your return." I felt the calm hand on mine as he who is a Priest led me to a place to sit by him. It's a hard flooring and yet comfortable to sit on. "Thank you, Gaoler. Your offer of the drink would be much appreciated. Please sit as my class need not be her alone. As a show of Faith, I would teach all who would listen as there is nothing to fear from the words of GOD."

 

So it was a succession of days which I was to find myself with my father sitting by the priest named Valentine as he recites to us the words of his teaching. During the session, I can hear the sounds of others who dwell in the other cells also lending their ears to this man of GOD. From the drones of his voice, I find fleeting images that shift in my mind; one cannot be described as its the gift of the sightless only can see these images. I also find myself feeling comfortable to sit by this man and bring him his daily bread for his meal. Even the hours of the dark can be long, but I find my hours of the day are short as his voice carries me to wonderful sights. Above all, I sensed in me a feeling of relief and enlightenment within myself as if I am accepted by someone I can love and cherish.

 

But the day I feared arrived that morning.

 

It was the day I took to the sickbed, and I was not able to move. My father went on his usual path and was surprised by the Priest for a pen and paper. He gave the priest his request although it's unusual in the request. But little was he know that the Execution guards were to come later and asked for the priest. My father now knows what awaits the priest so he asked for a time to be alone with the priest.

 

My father asked for my forgiveness from him for not arriving today. But the priest was to stop my dad from his action. He said it's ordained and he would walk the last day of his life alone here. But before he was to depart for the execution square, he asked my father to hand me the paper he held in his hand. My father took it from him with his face in sorrow knowing that this is probably the last time he would listen to the priest. With that done, the priest was led away from his cell by the others leaving my father to cry in the cell alone. It was not him alone who cried but the others who heard his words did the same. Some prayed for mercy from GOD for his soul and deliver him from this world without pain. They are all willing to partake in his punishment in his place when their time comes. My father could not bear it anymore as he left for home to see me.

 

"Rose, Valentine asked me to give you this. He has been led to his execution at the Square. Father left the note in my hand as I laid on the bed. I ask for his help to prod me up on the pillows so I can feel what is written on the paper. I slowly opened the paper and felt my fingers over it.

 

I felt nothing. It's just paper.

 

I moved my eyes as if I have sight to see what was written. I asked for GOD's help in allowing me to see the paper as any living sighted person could. I laid my eyes on what was in my hand.

 

It's slowly forming the image as I see in my mind. But it's not the same. It coming in some forms which I have not seen before. It has shades to it and more shades than I can imagine.

 

Is it my sight has recovered? Or am I seeing something different from my usual sight?

 

I looked up and see what appears so different.

 

"Father?" It moves to me. It's different but I know it well. It's my father and I can see him now. Oh my GOD! I can see it now. My sight is restored and I can see it. I can see now what Valentine has told me for days to believe in; that GOD may be merciful to the ones who believe in HIM. Yes, I do. And I do because you taught me the ways of GOD.

 

I looked at the paper now.

 

It's an image of something and yet it's pleasing.....no, beautiful like the things I can see now.

 

"Father, what....is that I see in my hand?" I looked to my father for his assistance.

 

"It's the paper which Valentine gave you." I nodded my understanding but I see something on it. I point to it and asked him.

 

"It's a flower. It's a yellow crocus which your mother used to plant in the garden." The flower petals floated from the stem and sway around the room. It's.....beautiful to see the colors as my mother used to say. I looked back at the paper and find something else on it.

 

"Father....."

 

"It's written by Valentine. He wrote it for you." I looked at him for his meaning. I meant I can speak but to read and write has not been my privilege.

 

"From your Valentine; he wrote that for you. He loves you, Rose." My father hugged me for the first time since I am recovered.

 

"No, father, He loves me as I love him for teaching me the words of GOD. He taught me how to love GOD as in loving GOD, I learned to love HIM too. Just as much as I love you and Valentine. He taught us more than words. We shall be blessed that Valentine did not die in vain. He died for the love of the people to rejoice in the love of one another and also in GOD." For the first time, I cried since I recovered. I cried in joy as on this day, LOVE is declared with no barrier and imposed conditions.