When we come to this world, we all face a journey – the one that lasts a lifetime. Our destination is rarely known in advance. There is a start, a clear end, a few milestones in between, but other than that our destination is for us to choose. Sometimes we’re lucky to pick nice wide roads covered in freshly laid tarmac and surrounded by fragrant fields and cool ocean breezes. Sometimes, all we seem to get is a tangle of dark wood paths that go round and round, backing onto themselves, confusing, hostile, and narrow as an edge of a blade. It’s on the glum narrow paths that we pick up talismans, fill them with force of our own belief and keep on going till we get to a good place. When we get to that good place, we might forget about the talisman, or we might keep it, forming that special attachment. What is a talisman? A piece of jewelry, a funny shaped stone, a fiery maple leaf, a memory, a thought, a belief? Life can sometimes be so hard that belief is all we have to go on and a talisman is the vessel to harness and store that belief. The belief that is ultimately ours, ours to transfer to any object we like. Pick your talismans along the way, fill them with all the brilliant force of your belief, but never form attachments to the physical vessel. The belief is yours, the strength is yours, you are the hero of your own journey and I hope you have a good one.Now, those of you who bothered to read till this line might ask: What’s all this talk about talismans and journeys and beliefs? Well, but of course, what can it be but a “literary” equivalent to: Here you go, read Chapter 3 of the Gardener and I hope you enjoy it.
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Hi Ana, my name is John. Last weekend, my Granma gave me small green stone on silver chain and read first three chapters of the Gardener. I love swimming and that part about Alan nearly drowning in the pool scared me. I wasn’t afraid for myself, but I was afraid for Alan. Anyway, gran sez my stone doesn’t have great force yet, but if I believe in it I can charge it with my own force.
ReplyDeleteHaving read this text I was stunned; I never thought about talisman as storage for our own beliefs. When I lost my mother’s ring, which was dear to me as a memory, my heart was broken. Now I understand it is always with me.
ReplyDeleteTalismans and amulets are for people who believe in superstitions. I don’t believe in any of that stuff myself, but then I never got into any serious trouble in my life. Maybe if I did and got out on the other side, I’d have a talisman too. When you clutch at your last straw and it saves you against all odds, you’ll turn it into a talisman in no time. So, yeah, I understand people who believe in them.
ReplyDeletePS Thanks for the chapter. I don’t know why I like your writing so much, but I do. Keep going.
Do I believe in talismans? Actually, I do. Do I have one? Not any more. I used to have a talisman when I was a kid, I mean a talisman that really was filled with magical force. It was my first tooth that my grandpa helped to get out by tying it to the bathroom door handle with a string and then yanking the door open. I seem to remember rivers of blood when the sucker finally came out on the third attempt. Anyway, I didn’t give that one to the tooth fairy ‘cause it was destined to become my lucky charm. It worked a treat too, until the day I lost it. I seem to remember getting a few nice bruises as well that day. Afterwards, I had a few lucky charms, but none ever had that magic in them.
ReplyDeleteAlex, my man, good story. Instead of looking for new talismans, maybe you should try to keep your own teeth safe, who knows, maybe they’ll make you lucky ;-D
ReplyDeleteGreat chapter. As for talismans, it doesn’t matter what they’re made off as long you believe in them.
I’ve got a nice wooden amulet an ex-girlfriend gave me years ago. I wouldn’t go as far as claiming that it keeps me safe, but it does bring back lots of good memories.
ReplyDeleteThe times of superstitions are long gone. In modern society, talismans and amulets are a fad. People don’t believe in them and wear them like jewelry, because they saw some celebrity sporting something similar.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree that people no longer believe in power of certain things, that they no longer believe in sometimes inexplicable events that guard us against bad luck. I’m convinced that crosses, amulets, things that our parents or grandparents gave to us, have the ability to harbour positive energy and love. If you ever watched a program about survival, you’ll see that people who survive are those who believe and the ones who die are those who surrender and stop fighting for their lives. A talisman is like a reminder of the belief, reminder that there’s still chance, that there’re people who love you and need you and that for them you must be strong.
ReplyDeletePS I’ve read the three chapters of the Gardener in one go and it reads real easy. I can clearly see the events, but at the same time I can feel a promise of much more to come.
There’s no need for talismans or amulets when you believe in God. He decides when it’s time for us to go and it’s He who decides if we are to be given a second chance.
ReplyDeleteCrucifix is a talisman majority of Christians wear faithfully around their necks. Other religions have similar amulets.
ReplyDeleteThe learning never enough time.Person's life to learn a lot of things.It should be targeted What is missing, make up what, in order to do more with less.Learning is conducive to progress in life.There instead of themselves in the fullness of life.Because the school is not enough, will be modest and prudent.More study, the more will feel their own ignorance, insignificance,Their own perception and greater harvest.
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