The lilting music

In many of my accompaniments here in this peace community, no matter how tense the situation (combats, aerial bombardments, presence of armed actors), the slow pace of life made me realise one fact: there is always time, somewhere huddled in my hammock, to read a book.

My favourite author to read on accompaniments? Haruki Murakami. His short stories are just perfect so as for me not to get too engrossed too deeply into a book should something actually happen (hopefully not!).

Another interesting discovery: the dog Laika, in Sputnik Sweetheart, is real. Or at least, there is also a dog named Laika here (Arenas Bajas, a small remote mountain settlement in the north of Colombia).

What is the link between this place and Japanese pop culture, will I ever find out? (Perhaps Laika is just a common name for dogs.)

But meanwhile, here is a short story, on happiness, on sadness, on peace, within which is a lesson, perhaps even a quest, for those who want it.

There was once a boy who had a talent. He could make music, a simple music with a lilting note.

His music, he discovered, has a healing power. He could sense the sadness of the world, and he could heal the sadness away by his music.

One day, he met a happy girl. The happiest girl he has ever met. He fell in love with her, and as she responded to his love, he felt her happiness.

"This happiness is the key to peace," he realised.

He was eager to teach the girl how to make music. "With this," he declared, "With your soul and my music, we can make the world as happy as the two of us. We can heal the sadness of the world."

Now that plan would have been perfect. But plans are just that, plans. And something, of course, just as life would have it be, went wrong.

The boy discovered that he could no longer make his beautiful lilting music. His music was dependent on sadness, but both he and she were far too happy, and so, his music could no longer heal.

Even worse, the music he taught the girl, well, no matter how happy her soul, she could only make sad music. And her lyrics, they were sad lyrics.

(It is worth mentioning that there were times when his healing music did come out: when they fought. During these times, they were temporarily sadder people, but his music captured it eternally, and it became not just lilting, but powerful, inspiring music).

Nevertheless, the overall effect was that the two became much sadder people, although, there was at least, sometimes music. Sad music from her, and inspiring music from whenever they fought.

But he was not satisfied, and as he met more people, he discovered that the sadness of others invoke again, his healing, lilting music.

It eventually overtook him. "I can't be sad when I'm with you." he started to say to her.

"You have too happy a soul," on other days.

And finally, "Perhaps it is better I find other people, those I can heal."

And so, she, the happiest girl he has ever met, left, and became the saddest girl he had ever left.

He was also sad, because he did, in fact, truly love her. But he was not a lover, and he was never meant to be a lover. Rather, he was just that, a boy whose music can heal.

Perhaps it was altogether better for the world. The two sadness, together, were able to cause a lifetime of beautiful, lilting, healing music. And the world became a much happier place, and eventually the world became a more peaceful place. – November 23, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.