On the edge of a meadow, Love and Separation stood watching a young couple deeply in love. With a confident tone, Separation challenged Love, “I bet I can tear them apart.” Love, calm and assured, replied, “Let me approach them first, then you can try, and we’ll see who prevails.”
Love gently approached the couple, touched their hearts, and saw a spark of deep connection light up between them. Stepping back, Love said to Separation, “Now it’s your turn.”
Separation, however, hesitated. “Not now,” she murmured. “Their hearts are full of love. I’ll come back when the time is right.”
As time passed, Separation returned and saw the young couple had become parents. The mother cradled their newborn while the father looked on with pride. Hoping Love had faded, Separation entered their home. But when she looked into their eyes, she saw Gratitude shining brightly. Disappointed, she said, “I’ll try again later.”
Years went by, and Separation visited them once more. The house was now filled with the noise of children, and the tired husband returned home from work. Confident that Love had waned, Separation moved closer. But when she peered into their eyes, she saw Respect and Understanding. “Not yet,” she sighed and withdrew.
As time went on, Separation returned to their home once more. This time, the children were grown, the father’s hair had turned gray, and he was patiently explaining something to his now-adult children while the wife prepared a meal in the kitchen. Separation peered into their eyes and sighed with dismay as she saw Trust deeply rooted within them. “Not yet,” Separation muttered and quietly departed.
As more years passed, Separation looked into the house once again. She saw grandchildren playing and an old woman sitting by the fireplace, warming herself. “Surely, now is my time,” Separation thought, moving closer. But before she could meet the woman’s eyes, the old woman stood and left the house. Separation followed her to a quiet cemetery, where the woman knelt by a grave—the grave of her husband.
“I’m too late,” Separation realized, her heart heavy with regret. “Time has done what I could not.” She looked into the old woman’s tear-filled eyes and saw something profound—Memories of Love, Gratitude, Respect, Understanding, and Trust…
