Taizé

Thad and Anne lived in their cottage for some time. Still Thad was left feeling somewhat empty. He would often take walks in the evening and gaze longingly at the setting sun. He couldn't deny that the cottage was very nice and Anne seemed somewhat happier there than outside the shining city. Thad looked up at his stars Giles and Alexandra. He knew his stars weren't prepared to drift west so he contented himself to remain at the cottage. One evening a woman came out of the west and hailed him. "Hello Thad. We've been expecting you in the west."

"I know," said Thad "but I can't go yet."
"I bring a little of the west to you." she answered while handing him a candle.
Thad took the candle and examined it.
"This is a candle from Taizé." she explained.
"It's beautiful, so simple, yet so captivating. I can hardly take my eyes off it." said Thad.
She continued "Use this candle to bring Taizé here."
Thad asked "What is Taizé? Why bring it here."
"Taizé connects all the westward paths. With Taizé a person walking to Aldersgate can walk side by side with someone walking to Canterbury, or Rome, or Constantinople even. For too long the walkers of the different paths have shown scorn for each other. Taizé is a blanket of love over all the paths. Bring that beauty here. Light the candle." The woman turned and walked back to the west.

Thad brought the candle back to his cottage. Alone in a room he lit the candle. It shown more beautiful than any fire. Thad was enveloped in a "blanket of love." Thad felt he could see all colors, hear all music at once. The candle gave off a musical chant that wrapped itself around Thad and circled around and around until Thad could sense nothing else. When he regained his self. He ran to Anne. "Anne come see this candle!"

Anne followed Thad to the candle. "I don't like this candle. It reminds me of the west."
"This candle is beautiful! How can you not love it?" asked Thad.
"Leave this candle to burn itself out, come back to me." said Anne.
"Just give me more time with the candle." argued Thad.
Anne walked up close to Thad. "Come with me." she said coldly and kissed Thad's neck. As Thad lost consciousness he felt for the first time Anne's teeth on his neck.

Once again Thad awoke weak and pale. His first thought was of his new candle. He crawled off to it and stared at it for a long time. "I will go west" Thad thought to himself "and I will bring my candle with me."

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© 2003 - Jonathan Gardner