I Care

We exist in a dead world, people have lost the will to live - there is no passion, no goals, no yearning for success. But hear my tale; a story that will change your perception of the world: The Symphony of Life.

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It all began one day, one morning when my one and only friend visited me at my home. This was not a happy visit - no … we both knew what our futures entailed … we knew that our world was going to ruin. But I decided at that moment that I would do something about it - I knew not what at the time but I asked my friend to accompany me along the way...
Without a second thought he scoffed and replied: “You? You of all people? What can you change? Our world is decaying, a foul disease envelops it. All I see is suffering and corruption. People view us as the scum of this world - we are treated worse than stray dogs. No one cares for us or the world! Ask yourself this question: ‘who cares’?” With those words he parted, words that stung like a wasp, the venom of which shifted through my veins.

Indeed my friend was right, I was abandoned as a child just like him - the wastelands are my home. I was discarded by my parents, indeed, I too was waste. It is ironic, is it not? That I am of the same value as the dirt, the rubbish, the trash that was beneath my feet? But I did not care about that, for my ideal was to change this world - I felt I had the passion, it permeated through my flesh but then what difference did that make? In this dying world I was alone - accompanied by none.

I pondered these thoughts for days upon days, weeks upon weeks, months upon months. Saplings sprouted beneath my feet, they grew into shrubs and then into trees - towers of strength - and yet they too eventually withered and died… at least the cycle repeated in their instance - our world had but one chance: once it died, all of humanity was going to perish. I wanted to change this world but my friend’s words: “who cares” continued to resonate in my head - a hindrance, a poisonous thought. I heard it constantly; no physical barrier enabled me to escape it. It clawed at my heart. I was bleeding … and I realised that I too would die like the rest of --

Suddenly a sound broke my negative thoughts - instantaneously rendered them useless and even brought a smile to my lips in such a despondent time. What was it? A sound so simple and yet so beautiful in its entirety. I heard it again and then it dawned on me: the chirping, of not one but many, birds. You might ask what was the significance of this? Just a simple sound that we hear from day to day, right? No, not quite, because this changed my life, my perception. You may not understand now but hear my tale. I realised then, that sounds could bring communities together, the same way several birds joined in the same melody. This was the significance of that one instance. I knew then the solution: I would bring another dimension to this world - entertainment like no other. Why cannot something else be instrumental in illustrating my emotions the same way? Even though I am but one person, why could I not change this world? WHY!?

Why did this matter to me you ask…? Because I care.

With that single thought in mind I surveyed the lands before me. You may say the wastelands are foul but I am no fool - there is no veil that covers my sight. My eyes were open and what I saw before me was a mine - a gold mine filled with potential. My mind raced like never before, constructing and deconstructing opportunities - ideas flooded my brain. It took me a few days but I managed to collect the necessary materials: cracked planks of wood, rusted wires, bent bolts and sticks of various sizes - and with it I created a marvellous instrument. The wires ran along the wood in evenly separated increments and at the head, I had tied them under tension by winding it around the bolts. To finish it off, I created a sharpened stick to strum the strings. It was not much but it served my purpose and that’s what truly mattered to me.

In triumph, accompanied by my creation, I ran up the highest pile of waste I could see and sat down at the peak. I looked beyond. For once I had appreciated the beauty of this world, the sun was setting - it provided a crimson tinge to the sky. I felt one with nature. The wind brushed past my hair and I suddenly felt a fire burn through my very being - I knew at once my passion was back.

I closed my eyes…

I moved my hand in different angles, up and down, side to side and instantaneously I felt that the instrument was an extension of my arm…of my soul. It’s cries reached the edges of the world, everyone knew of it’s existence. I was but one individual, a single flame amongst an everlasting furnace but I knew then that I would make my mark in the future. Lub Dub, Lub Dub sang the chorus of my heart. Nature heard my melody: the cawing of the crows, the howling of the wolves, and the roar of the lions added to my song. Joy rushed through my blood … it was boiling. No longer was I bleeding, I have endured the fire and it has sealed the wound. This was the symphony of life.

Eventually I slowed down my limbs and calmly brought them to a halt.

But now there was another sound… an addition to the melody.

I opened my eyes - what I saw was beyond my comprehension: a large crowd gathered around my home - tens and tens of thousands. An incessant applause accompanied them.

I no longer felt alone.

I no longer felt afraid.

I was truly happy - and I could not stop a huge grin from covering my face especially when I noticed that at the forefront was my one and only friend and even … my parents.

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This is my creation and I name it music. It was my passion that drove me to greater heights, that transformed this world, that created happiness in this dead world.

I was the waste of this world: left to die and rot amongst the rubbish. But I did not abandon the thrash of this world. No … I encompassed it and through it I alone have saved this world.

Why? Because I care.