|
Today I am in a reflecting mood and while doing so I'm going back
in time towards the spring of the year 1794. These are turbulent times
in Europe. The Southern Netherlands (now Belgium) still endure the domination
of Austria and elsewhere a certain Bonaparte is trying his utmost to
make true his ideals of a unified Europe. Darkened times threaten to
become real for the Netherlands, and somewhere in the Borinage, not
very far from Charleroi, in the town of Farciennes lives the Labruyère
family in a narrow and twisting alley, close to a brick church. Father
Pierre Labruyère labours in the local coal mine, only a few hundred
meters away. On April 3rd 1765 he weds his loved one Agnès from
the neighbouring town of Fleurus.
In the course of time the couple beget six children. First three sons
are born, of which the eldest, Pierre, arrives in 1765 followed by Guillaume,
Arien and the eldest daughter Mathilde (Thila) until 1769. Then in 1771
another son, François is born and in 1774 the youngest, Juliëtte
(Julie).
Now mother Agnès is sickly and no other worldly citizens are born. At
a young age, the two girls are expected to help out in the household,
which means that aside from the hours they are at school, they are doing
most of the tasks of maintaining for the family, such as polishing,
cooking, and getting water. Even when they are too old to go to school,
the girls continue to live in the parental home to be of aid to mother
Agnès and to take care of the men who all go to work successively in
the mine.
Thila and Julie are almost always together, even when they get older.
They talk to each other about all that crosses their minds and they
keep no secrets from each other. They live together as if they were
one soul. In the scant hours they are free, and that is mostly in the
evenings, they climb the hill on the other side of the Sambre River
and enlighten each other with their dreams. They talk about the stars
that contain so many promises and about the customs of the people in
other countries who speak different languages than they. In the school
they have been taught correct French, but that was only for their school
studies. At home, with their rare friends, and with the baker and the
butcher, only the local dialect is spoken.
Thila, who is more than five years older than Julie, shares all that
is happening to her. Julie always listens with much pleasure to all
the anecdotes of her older sister, whom she adores. Thila likes very
much to confide in Julie all her fantasies that, as the years go by,
turn more and more towards the attraction of the young men in the village,
but because the sisters are almost always together anything further
than idealized reflection do not come to pass.
On one special evening, the two girls are again sitting under their
favourite oak tree and are glancing across the valley. Already it grows
dark and they can see that one by one the lights of the town are illuminated.
The nightshift of the mine is being helped down the great shaft. The
girls know that Guillaume and Arien are on this shift. The weather is
clear and a tender wind is blowing which makes from time to time their
long blond hair flutter in the breeze. Both girls have their knees pulled
up and with their arms they clasp their long skirts against their legs.
Slowly the first stars become visible with the subsequent Polar Star,
Big and Small Bears, Orion and Pleiades. They both recall their friend,
Maître Plon who used to tell them about the wonderful stories
behind the stars. The girls would listen with an immense hunger for
knowledge of the universe that they continue to explore. Now a feeling
of expectation takes possession of the twosome and suddenly, a bit to
the right of them a shooting star splashes. Quickly both girls formulate
a wish and bit-by-bit the feeling grows that something big is going
to happen.
All at once something startles them. A tremendous clear and white light
overwhelms the slope. The surroundings can't be seen anymore. Troubled
they look at each other and say, "What is going on here?"
The darkness that made them unable to see each other only moments ago
is transformed into a seemingly atrocious light in which a halo magically
appears around their heads in which the loose ends of their hair are
clearly visible against the light. It looks as if their skin has taken
on a fluorescence that beams out far beyond the foliage of 'their' oak.
But they do not have ample time to think about this, because suddenly
a manifestation stands before them. A long and gracious woman has abruptly
appeared from naught before their eyes. She is wearing a stunning long
robe in two striking hues of blue and the classical face is wreathed
with long fair hair, just like their own.
"Please, do not be afraid, children", the woman says with
outstretched arms to the shaking pair. "Each Sunday you come down
into the village and pray in the consecrated church in my memory. I
come to you now to fulfill your prayers with compassion. My name is
Nada. I carry the essence of Mary of Magdala, like your House of God.
You too, Thila and Julie, carry this essence because long ago we walked
together upon this planet. Often you talk with each other about the
strange far-away lands that you want to visit, and about the miracles
of the firmament. Understand that there was been a time when both you
and I were there. When you chat about these things, in truth you speak
about the remembrance of the adventures that you once experienced."
Thila and Julie look at each other with questions in their eyes and
wonder, "What is going on here?" They do not understand very
much of what has been said to them but the beautiful woman continues.
"This is not what I wanted to speak about with you, my dear children.
I have come to tell you about Love. I do not particularly mean the love
that you, Thila, seem to feel for the very special boy from the village.
No, I mean the Love of people towards each other, like that of your
parents, God and the folks who cross your path. Know that very soon
a number of incidents will occur in and around your town, of which at
first sight will seem to have nothing to do with Love. The events in
themselves will have a character of hatred, of resentment and of distress.
Hatred for people will result from the apparent hunger for influence,
money, and possession. Resentment will take hold of many because of
their desire for others possessions, the sorrow of the unfortunate will
have to endure all this.
"What is going to happen cannot be avoided. I advise you to maintain
the Love in your Hearts with everyone and keep Love in mind at all times
in regards to your enemies. Present to these enemies compassion and
make it clear to them that in the end Love, Oneness and the Power of
the Merciful will prevail. Try to remember my dear children and the
fate that you will have to endure will be a bit easier to bear.
"In the midst of your community exists a pond. Imagine that many
people find themselves around this pond. All of them are hurling stones
into the pool. All these stones cause ripples that will eventually touch
each other and the turbulence in the pond will be heavy. Keep in mind
that all those people will inevitably cease the tossing one-day. At
first one or two and soon enough more and more people will stop making
waves. And in the end no more stones will be thrown into the water.
By and by the waves will disperse and the waters will be calm and serene.
Cling to this notion, dear children, it will help you. Goodbye for now,
I wish you well and remember that whatever happens I will always be
somewhere in the background to share your fate, and wherever possible
I shall try to soften the problems." Before she leaves, she places
her hands for a moment on the heads of the flabbergasted girls…
Two months later, ten kilometers to the north of Farciennes, the battle
of Fleurus takes place. The troops of Napoleon under general Jourdan
achieve an impressive victory over the combined forces of the Prussians
and the Austrians and the whole of Southern Netherlands becomes a part
of France. The Prussian army recruits Father Pierre and three of his
sons, Guillaume, Arien and François, and unfortunately all of them die
in this dreadful battle. Mother Agnès is already dead as of December
1793, to a lingering heart condition and the two girls are left behind
in the little house in Farciennes. The fate of Pierre, the only remaining
male in the family, is unknown. He disappeared during the ciaos of war,
never to return. Out of all changes the two sisters are suddenly transformed
into young women, a sign of frightful days.
They are terribly afraid because gradually it becomes clear that their
father and the other brothers will not return from the battlefield.
They are terrified of the groups of wandering soldiers who are underpaid
and try to replenish their meager rations with all that the population
will let them 'borrow'. They are also frightened of these plundering
soldiers who, arms at the ready, revel in lonely left behind women.
With these thoughts in mind, the girls remember the light-filled woman
on the hill and they talk about their increase of courage to each other.
They realize that all the mischief has been brought down upon them is
for a reason. And although that reason remains a mystery for the moment,
they understand that Mary of Magdala guards over them and will keep
them from still greater danger.
And so it is.
*
* * * * * * *
To
email this article to a friend click here.
 
 'Running
Fox' is the alter ego, the pseudonym, or maybe another aspect of myself,
the Dutch writer Hans Brockhuis. I have been writing since I was very
young. These writings, which I prefer to call inspired fiction, gradually
changed from what one would call fiction, via science fiction or fantasy,
towards these communications with a more divine flavor. You may subscribe
to this newsletter by sending an E-mail to: runningfox@worldmail.nl.
You are invited to share this work with your family and friends. In
the case that you do not want to receive these messages any more, please
send an E-mail, stating that to the above address.
|
