I am Your Friend on the Other Side of the Curtain
Many corgis have an important contract with the elves, a contract they are very proud of. When the elves are in need of a steed, the corgis are at their disposal. The elves protect the world and the humans from Evil, but the humans don't know this. And they should never know.Things are not perfect in this world, but it would be much worse if the elves - and the corgis - would not fight against Evil.
Sometimes Evil is weak and worn out, but Evil can never be defeated. And thus Evil recovers, nurtured by all the negative thoughts of the humans. And then the elves and corgis have to fight it again. This has continued ever since the humans have existed on earth.
For many years Adrian and Aaron had ridden with their good friends Argon and Elenwe. The big Evil with its storm clouds was time and again forced back but never obliterated. With time, Aaron became more mature and secure and was no longer downcast by the Evil's impact. He never lost control again and, deeply depressed, dropped down towards the earth the way he did the first time he participated in the battle. Now he had the strength and love for all living beings, which made him immune against negative thoughts. Over and over again, he and Elenwe rose up in the air together with other corgis and elves, equipped with their magic glow sticks and always ready for fight.
Between the battles, Adrian and Arron were just ordinary corgis living peacefully with their humans just like all the other dogs. Thus the years passed, with ordinary life at home and heroic deeds and feats with the elves.
One day Adrian said to Aaron: "I'm not well. There is something growing inside me and now we have to see the vet to find out what it is." "Can I come along?" Aaron asked. "Not today, bro. But I shall tell you all about it when I come home again." And with these words Adrian jumped into the car to join his humans.
For over two hours Aaron kept watching the road from his favourite place at the window. When the car returned and Adrian and the humans got out, Aaron thought that Adrian appeared so small and the humans so serious. Aaron hurried through the dog door to join the others. "How are you, bro - what did the vet say?" Adrian replied: "I'm no longer young but not so old either. And perhaps I won't get so old either. It was bad news." The humans looked unhappy and said that Adrian should not suffer and be in pain. It seemed that they had made a decision. The days passed slowly and Adrian slept a lot. Aaron wanted so much that Adrian should play as they always did, but Adrian's strength had diminished.
"Well, the day has come", the humans said with tears in their eyes. "No, not today either", Adrian said slowly in reply to the question he expected to hear from Aaron. "This I must do alone. Do you know what Aaron? I have always loved you so much, bro! Right from the day the humans came with you as a soft, little puppy. It was always the two of us. But now you have to be strong". "But you have always protected me from Brutus the Bulldog down the road, and you have taught me everything about riding with the elves and fighting against Evil. Why do you now say that I have to be strong? I love life with you as it is!" Then Aaron kept quiet and looked inquiringly at Adrian. "I'm afraid it's goodbye, bro", Adrian said whilst the humans carefully lifted him into the car.
During the days that followed, Aaron went around searching for Adrian - everywhere. He didn't want to eat or play, not even sleep. Some weeks later, the humans returned from the vet with a small cardboard box. It contained an urn which the humans handled with great respect.
Some days later, they all went down to the old apple tree and dug a hole where they placed the urn. "You probably don't understand what this is about, Aaron. But Adrian was a good and lovable friend and we shall for ever remember him." Then they filled up the grave, leaving a small mound over the urn. They stood there for a while, hugging each other. "But life goes on. So come along Aaron, perhaps we have a special treat for you for supper?" But Aaron didn't want to eat - not today either. During the night, he went out through the dog door and sat down in solitude next to the new grave by the apple tree. Then Aaron pointed his muzzle towards the moonlit night sky and howled, releasing all the sorrow and longing for Adrian.
Slowly Aaron started eating again. But whenever they went for a walk, he always passed the fence where Brutus lived quickly and silently. It was no longer fun to tease the stout arch enemy - not without Adrian.
One night some months later, Aaron awoke suddenly - the elves were calling him! He hurried through the dog door and ran down into the garden. There his two good friends Argon and Elenwe stood and greeted him joyfully. They sat down in the grass beside Aaron and patted him affectionately. "We know of your deep sorrow and we share it. But once more we need your assistance. Evil is building up again. We can expect the storm clouds at any time now. We therefore beg you to stay with us."
Happy with the reunion, Aaron let himself be transferred to the elves' world by means of the arc of light that Argon and Elenwe cast over them. Everything felt right and good under the radiant arc of light that engulfed them. In the elves' world the elf queen, the wisest of all elves, was personally there to meet them. "Be greeted, valiant corgi, with the big heart" she said and bowed graciously. Your help is wished for and urgently required. We are facing a great danger because Evil has reached a power we never before have encountered. We have no time to lose and you must all take off immediately to confront the threat. Argon you are going to ride with your new corgi friend Victor. Take good care of him." Above them they saw hordes of elf warriors riding on corgis in long disciplined rows, and all the elves were armed with the magic glow sticks.
The fight against the storm clouds was long and hard. For a long time it looked as if the elves and the corgis would lose. But slowly and grimly they managed to defeat the aggressive storm clouds - one after the other. Aaron focussed all the time and refused to grow sad by all the negative energy surrounding him. He was full of self-confidence and carried Elenwe ever further into the lashing down rain and the strong winds, whilst lightening lacerated the air around them. Elenwe and Aaron finally managed to fight their way to the centre of the most violent storm cloud, constantly being thrown back and forth by the enormous forces. Now Elenwe turned the glow stick to full power and blasted the Evil in all directions and, in a tremendous flash of light, to total annihilation!
Rows of elves and corgis landed after the victory and were received by the relieved elf queen and her advisors. "I followed you all in my thoughts, especially you Elenwe and Aaron. I'm proud of the way you tackled this unbelievably hard battle - congratulations!" Aaron, whose fur was all bristly from all the electric discharges, the rain and the winds in the storm clouds, was obviously proud of these appraising words from the elf queen. "I would like to thank you with a gift - an insight only a few are granted", she continued and stepped aside. And there, Adrian was standing, surrounded by the same golden light as the elves. So beautiful, peaceful and happy. At first, Aaron was dumbfounded for a few seconds. Then he ran to Adrian and washed his face and kept running around him in sheer delight about this reunion!
After this joyful jig of glee, so happy to see his brother again, Aaron suddenly stopped. "You left me", he said. "I'm all alone. Who can help me now when I encounter scary Brutus down the road? And all that we did together. Who am I to play with now? Why did you leave me?" Aaron sounded almost a little reproachful. Adrian smiled at Aaron. "That's a lot of questions. Shall we start with Brutus? I remember him as somewhat of a challenge whenever we passed his garden. Forward and backward, with us on one side of the fence and him on the other. How dangerous we were and so angry! But actually the three of us are good friends here in the elves' world."
"We are what?" exclaimed Aaron. "Are we friends here in the elves' world? But we are always so mad at each other. So how can we be friends here? And who are 'we'"?
"By 'we' I mean, of course, yours and Brutus' big soul. After I came home, that is here, I was reunited with my big soul - I am one - and so will you be once your time on earth is over." "I don't believe you", Aaron said. "Brutus is just mean and stupid. Why are we supposed to be friends here among the elves?" "Well, first and foremost because there is no evil here among the elves. Except when the storm clouds come and the elves and corgis have to chase them away. And because we as souls always have to learn a lot about good and evil, about love and evil, what it means to be rich and poor - in other words about all the contrasts that exist in life on earth. We must learn about all sides in order to understand life. And so you have to ask yourself: if you have to go on a long and challenging journey where you will meet a lot of hardship, who would you prefer to have at your side on this journey?"
"Well, that's obvious", said Aaron. "It must be someone I can trust and who I am confident will be there for me when things are getting rough." "And just because you and Brutus are so confident in each other, you chose to take this trip to earth together. And this goes for me as well as long as I was there." "Do you mean that I shall go back to Brutus and tell him that we actually are good friends? I really don't believe that I would manage to tell him this before he has chewed me to bits"! "Yes, you are quite right", Adrian said and laughed. There is no chance that someone has told Brutus what we have talked about. But you must believe me. When you return to the humans' world, you must simply go on and play the roles you have chosen: nothing but conflicts and lots of barking. But once you both return to this world, you will understand."
And Adrian continued: "You have been in the elves' world many times to fight against Evil and the storm clouds, but you have only seen a small part of what is going on here among us. But one day you will remember that this is your real home! And my dear brother, I have never left you, you are never alone. I'm your friend on the other side of the curtain, a true soul mate who knows everything and who will always use this knowledge for your best. I'm the one who comes to you at night in your dreams and loosens the tension from the previous day and gives you peace. I'm the voice of conscience which helps you to find the answer to your dilemmas and doubts. I'm the one who whispers in the twilight that you are fantastic and deserve the whole world's love. You are and have always been perfect. I'm the patiently listening soul waiting for your questions and who will answer all your thoughts and riddles which you perhaps can't quite understand yourself. In me you find the helper who only wants the best for you. Remember the times when we were together here in the elves' world before we returned to the humans' world - together or separately - again and again in a new life in order to learn. But I must remind you: the free will is yours alone - I cannot make the decisions for you. And I'm asking you fervently: learn to listen. Breathe deeply, relax and close your eyes and turn away from the world's troubles and hectic life. Because you not only exist physically. Then I will come to you and say: "! love you. How can I help you?" Because I'm always at your side. This is unconditional love and you have access to this source - always. I'm there for you. We are not earthly individuals with a spiritual experience, but spiritual souls with an earthly experience. Don't compare individuals and don't classify them according to earthly criteria. All individuals deserve to be regarded for what they are - unique souls deserving respect for their unique nature."
Adrian looked at the elf queen for a moment. "What is the meaning of life on earth? The elf queen has given me the answer: learn to be happy. An important part of this fantastic concept is gratitude. Think of all your blessings and discard your deplorabilities and disappointments because you have learned not to linger with them. They don't belong to you anymore and are no longer part of you - so don't hang on to them. Look to the horizon and beyond - you are full of possibilities. Use the time well because your apprenticeship in the world of humans is not over yet."
The following hours Adrian and Aaron spent together under the old oak trees. Aaron wanted to tell Adrian about all he had experienced after Adrian got sick and died. But Adrian just smiled and told him that he knew. "I was with you all the time, observing but never judging, only with infinite and unconditional love. I know everything and I love you very much."
The time for departure had come. Elenwe asked Aaron to prepare himself for the return to the humans. "We are going to escort you back and make sure all is well. And we shall call you when the time has come. You know that." Aaron nodded and sighed. "But do you know what, bro?" Aaron asked at the same moment Argon and Elenwe lifted their arms to create the magic arc of light that would take them back to the humans' world. "I still have a bad conscience because of when I hid your favourite ball!" Adrian looked up and smiled. "Oh yes, I well remember how I searched for it! But remember what I said", Aaron reminded him, surrounded by the golden light. "We are in the humans' world to learn how to be happy. Leave behind all the bagatelles in the big picture and look beyond the horizon!" And presently, Aaron was back in the garden. Soon the sun would rise and a new day would begin. For a moment he looked wistfully at Adrian's earthly grave before he walked up to the house.
Aaron went for a walk with his humans and they were approaching the absolutely worst place in the world - the fence and house where Brutus lived. Aaron saw that the bulldog was keeping an eye on the road and that he had noticed them. With a roar stout Brutus rushed forward and collided with the chain link fence which nearly burst! Aaron ran towards Brutus as he stood there foaming with rage behind the fence, and quickly licked him on the snout. "Remember, Brutus, we are actually good friends. You must only look towards the horizon and beyond and one day you will understand!" Out of sheer surprise at Aaron's words, the bulldog dropped on his behind looking stunned. Aaron, smiling craftily, turned around and happily joined his humans.
Bjørn Range, Norway
From the Norwegian Corgi-Post 4. 2019
Translation by ANo
Graphics by ©2024Béatrice Quinio 20.12.2024
