First Lesson

At first I struggled a little with this week's Don't Panic Picture Prompt.  It's a bit late because I spent the day at a family reunion yesterday.  But, I realized this morning that it fits in well with the Dusseldorf serial.  If you've missed parts of that story, follow the tab at the top labelled One Night in Dusseldorf and you will be linked to the rest of the series.

I heaved a sigh and scrubbed at my face.  How had my life come to this?

“It is difficult to understand how all of this can exist.  I assure you, though, it does and it is vital to life as you have known it that this world does co-exist.

“Why?”

“Imagine what the world would look like without any color,” I grimaced as she continued, “That is what it would be like without this world living as well.  All belief in and thoughts of magic and dreaming of fantastical creatures would never happen.  This world gives the ordinary world the gift of imagination and inspiration.”

She let me mull her words over in a comfortable silence, waiting for me to come to terms with everything.

“Okay.  So, magic exists.  Werewolves exist.  What is it Kris and James claim I am again?”

“A druid.”

“And what is my job in all of this?”

“Yours is a special job.  You are a protector of the natural balance.”

“What does that mean?” I interrupted.

“There cannot be life without death.  Light is defined by darkness.  That is what the natural balance is.  You have been given powers to help protect that balance.  The ordinary world does not understand this, not to the level they need to understand it.  That is part of why the earth is being destroyed faster than it can be repaired right now.”

“So what am I supposed to do about it?  I can’t change that.”

“But you have skills that will make a difference.  Have you ever seen the photograph of the gorilla with a small butterfly perched on its finger?  The gorilla is just studying the butterfly.”

“Yeah.  It’s by Olga someone.”

“Correct.  She is a druid.  Her photography inspires people in the ordinary world to take steps to correct the natural balance.  That photo alone inspired thousands to donate to gorilla preservation funds.”

I nodded, “And when the gorillas are rescued and their habitat preserved, all sorts of other things survive as well.”

“Exactly,” she smiled.