One day a young orphan girl set off to the forest in search of berries. The granddaughter of a Herbalist, she helped her grandmother gather various berries, leaves, roots and herbs for her healing salves and therapeutic oils. When she was younger, she’d accompany the old lady and learn about the sights, smells and sounds of Nature. And as her grandmother’s knees began to creak and her back become sore, the young girl took over the task  with her bag of tools and basket.

This day however was a special day. Her grandmother had asked for

1 Black Berry

1. Red Berry

1. Green Berry

1. Blue Berry

1. Pink Berry

She also insisted that all berries be of the same size and shape.

The young girl skipped along the grassy path and entered the forest. The smell of the Earth welcomed her and she set about her task of finding all 5 berries.

That evening she placed the basket in her grandmother’s lap and stood there gazing at the old lady. Whenever she peered into the basket full of leaves and roots, she’d get a warm, golden glow around her and her face would look so serene, the little girl could get lost in the feeling forever.

A gnarled, old hand held out 4 berries and gestured her to eat them.

The fifth berry, the pink one was placed inside a cotton lined box and given to her for safekeeping. She was never to eat it.

A few months later, Grandmother passed away and the orphan girl moved in with an aunt in the city. Here she learnt how to kiss the air while greeting people, and what questions not to ask people. The girl began to work in the family business, selling herbal supplements online. And soon fell in love with a young man. He proposed. And plans were made for moving to the mountains.

They began getting ready for a new life together, near the forests of pine where life would be simpler and sweeter. While she sorted out her belongings, deciding which things to leave behind, she came across a little box.

Inside it was a little note.

The black berry is to protect you against enemies, known and unknown.

The red berry is to give you energy to accomplish anything you want.

The blue berry is to give you the power to reach inner peace.

The green berry is to give you enough to sustain your needs in this lifetime and some more to help the needy.

Flavours of her past came back.

“And the Pink Berry? ” she asked out loud while lifting the cotton.

.

Lying at the centre of the tiny box in a bed of yellowed cotton was a perfect pink heart.

The young girl glowed and tears of joy ran down her face.

“Pink berries are for love so you can give and receive unlimited love for eternity” her grandmother whispered in her ear:)

Copyright Mita Bhan. All Rights Reserved