By: Hania Bilal
Two strangers dance in the moonlight. Graceful in their movements, they rise and fall in unison, their feet treading on the damp soil, not making a single sound. Their silhouettes amalgamate into each other as quickly as they fall apart, dipping up and down with increasing intensity. I stare in utter awe and admiration as the elegant pair twirl faster and faster till their steps are perfectly aligned with one another, spinning serenely in their billowing light and dark robes.
As if both had come to a mutual understanding, their movements gradually came to a halt and I am able to see their faces clearly. They light up with a distinct glow and I immediately avert my eyes, overwhelmed by their beauty. The man kneels and takes the little girl’s hand, wearing a melancholy expression.
Her eyes begin to brim with tears as she cradles his face in her hands. The man, before my eyes, begins to disintegrate, bit by bit, eventually fading into oblivion. The little girl falls to her knees and lets out a heart-wrenching cry, which, much like him, vanishes into thin air.
The very next morning, the same bone-chilling scream cuts through the air, attracting the attention of bystanders. The local patisserie, once bustling with life and aroma, crashes to the ground, blazing like hellfire. I begin to sob, as I watch my childhood memories reduced to ashes. I catch a glimpse of Her, amidst the flames, fidgeting with her hands. She stands and begins to trudge through the burnt ground. Curious, I follow her as she moves relentlessly, wreaking havoc to anything that stands in her path.
She raises her haunted eyes and stares at me. As she starts to speak, a flood of tears streams down her tarnished face, her misery echoing in her features, her disheveled hair, and her ragged clothes.
Amidst tears, she whispers, “I am tethered to him. When he descends, the chalice of fortune overflows and madness engulfs me“.
As I caress her cheek, a realization dawns upon me.
“ You, ‘Yin’, represents darkness, negative space, night, and chaos. And yet, there is a beauty to you that no one can capture. Your twirling companion, ‘Yang’ has disappeared and while he symbolizes light, sunshine, and bliss, there is malignance to him that he will never get rid of. That is the only way the world can achieve a delicate balance.”
Much to my surprise, the girl nods enthusiastically and stands up, a triumphant look gleaming in her eyes. It seemed that she had found her panacea.
The following night, as I pass by, an enchanting view catches my eye. In the open space, two figures whirl in a ceaseless spiral; their eyes shut and their limbs flowing. I see day and night, Man and Girl, Yin and Yang. Their light and dark robes blend into one, so much so that it becomes impossible to distinguish one from the other. As they coalesce in perfect harmony, their souls integrate into a force so powerful, it elates them to the heavens. Odd tranquility prevails and serenity glides through the ambiance; equilibrium of the world restored, as it was meant to be.
(Painting by RubyAr)
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