THE FLIGHT OF THE SHOOTING STAR

The Flight of the Shooting Star
It was summer, certainly very hot, two children played in the garden whilst their mothers called constantly to have dinner, night-time was falling.They stopped playing and began to count the stars, each time they found more as darkness covered the valley. Suddenly they began to see shooting stars and they stretched out on the grass which had begun to get damp. They gazed enthusiastically from right to left . There were shooting stars appearing everywhere with their luminous lines.
Suddenly two shooting stars appeared at the children’s feet.
They were paralized as the stars began to transform in to another two children.
“What are you doing here?” Said one of the stars.
They were unable to utter a single word but stood up and the bravest one began speaking to them
“We’re counting the stars”
“And how many have you counted?”
“I don’t know”· said the lad
“Why don’t you climb up one of these trees – perhaps you can see more?”
“Our mother won’t let us”
The braver child said to them
“Why are you falling stars?”
One of them replied
“Because our life on earth was fleeting”
“What happened to you” asked the most timid of the two
“I was a pilot and one day my plane crashed in to the sea. I had written a book but I had to go very young and since then as I was a pilot I continue to fly as a shooting star and I continue to show men how to live life”.
Cont…/…
– 2 –
“What was your plane like?” said the braver one
“It was a twin engined P-38 Lightening fighter aircraft, but you won’t know about what type of plane I’m talking about”
With his little hand, the more timid of the two pulled at the sleeve of the jumper of his friend and said
“Ask the other star something – he’s very quiet”
Without any hesitation he asked the second star
“And did you also leave this world in a flash?”
He took a few minutes to reply, he just looked at them and suddenly said
“That’s the way it is. Look at the palms of my hand”
and he showed them to him.
There were marks where nails had been, as well as on his feet and forehead and he also had scratches as if he had been fighting with a cat, thought the child.
“Who caused you those injuries”
He replied “Man – they are injuries of love and forgiveness”
“And have you forgiven those who hurt you so much?”
“Yes, all of them”
“And why are you a shooting star”
“Because it is my mission to cover all the corners of the earth and forgive those who hurt others and to bring love to those that need it”
“Can I kiss your wounds if they hurt” said the boy
“It’s not necessary – you have a clean soul – and your friend also”
“Keep counting stars. They are nothing more than the light of those, that for one reason or another, went before their time”
“If you look for your grandparents or any other human being, you will find them amongst the stars”
That said, the two shooting stars departed but not giving thanks for letting them rest in their garden.
The second shooting star said
“One day you will both play in my garden”
TOMAS CANO