She lived alone with her sickly
mother.
Since she was very young, Awe had
learned to use everything they had.
It was no accident that the letters in
Awe's name spelled AwakenWithEarth,
because she loved to roll and play in the dirt and even sleep on the bare
ground.
Food was scarce.
One day Awe was very hungry and
could not find any food.
She was afraid to go out to the
nearby forest alone.
Then she saw three eagles chasing
each other in a heart-shaped circle in the sky, and her fear became transformed
into courage.
.
Then when Awe went into the forest,
she noticed how her heart expanded and she began to feel great comfort and
safety.
It was as if her mother was holding
her up.
While walking the pine needle path
she was approached by a very old man picking up herbs.
He greeted Awe, saying that his name
was Lao Chi, which meant Wise Energy.
Lao Chi said to Awe, "All great
things come from the Earth and from the heart."
He shared with Awe the herbs,
greens, and mushrooms he had collected.
Awe shared with him her tears of
joy, and her eyes sparkled.
From then on, she would go outside
her village to find food in the forest, thanks to Lao Chi's help.
Awe took care of her mother by
getting her food, and now she wished to show care for the earth for giving her
that food and comfort.
One day when she found some wild
strawberries, she wanted to show her thanks.
She noticed that when the wild berry
was pulled in half it looked like a heart.
Contemplating this idea, she was
filled with the wonder of a devoted heart.
Sharing the experience of many
wise Masters, her heart was awakened by the Earth.
So when she finished eating the wild
strawberry, she thanked the plant for the beautiful idea it had given her.
She invented a game she called
"CaringForMa."
Since this is what she was doing
already for her mother, she wished to extend this thought to all things that
touched her heart.
In this game everything is connected
and has great value.
CaringForMa was about awakening the
heart by loving the Earth.
Every day, when Awe returned from
the woods, the villagers would see how radiant Awe had become.
The more Awe played her game, the
more luminous she became.
It was as if Awe was turning into a
human light bulb.
One day the Queen of this region was
passing through the village.
Awe was just returning from the
woods with her bountiful gifts from Nature.
The Queen and Awe encountered each
other.
The Queen was stunned by the twinkle
shining out of Awe's eyes.
The Queen said, "I have never
seen any person's eyes sparkle the way yours shine. Their light is greater
than my diamonds and they twinkle more brightly than the stars at night."
How can this be? Where do you go and
what have you been doing?
Awe paused and gently responded,
"I go into those woods there, and when I search for food I play a game I
made up called "CaringForMa."
The Queen said, "I wish to take
you to my husband the King, and his Royal Council, to share the treasure of
your eyes and your ways."
Awe entered the King's Council with
a delightful smile and radiating beams of light that filled the
giant royal courtyard.
Immediately, the entire Council was
taken by her luminous energy and loving presence.
The King said, "My wife tells
me you have a secret treasure to share with us!"
Awe responded, "Dear King, I
know only what I have been blessed to learn in the forest thanks to Lao
Chi."
Awe shared, "I was afraid to go
out to the nearby forest alone.
"Then I saw three eagles
chasing each other in a heart-shaped circle in the sky and my fear changed to
courage.
"When I entered the woods, my
heart expanded and I felt great comfort and safety. It was like when my mother
used to hold me.
"I found food for myself and my
mother.
"I show my thanks for this gift
by playing a game I made up called CaringForMa."
The King asked, "How is this
game CaringForMa played?"
Awe responded, "I learned this
game when I bowed before the spider's web, seeing that all things share a
web of connections.
"All things are connected with
one another in a magical way.
"I give thanks when I see one
form helping another form to live. I show care for the forms with my
gratitude.
"So I play, sing, dance, and
laugh every time I see a new thing and make a connection with that
new friend I have taken into my fellowship.
"The mushroom on the path I
make my uncle. The frog I adopt as my aunt. In CaringForMa, all things are my
relatives."
From the Council, a well-dressed
Advisor spoke,
Awe immediately recognized it was
Lao Chi.
"Awe, I find all sorts of herbs
for food and medicine from the woods, and now you have given us an amazing
remedy.
"Many hearts in this land have
been starved and broken.
"Your game CaringForMa is a
remedy to restore the spirit and stimulate the heart.
"The diamond light shining out
of your eyes has given me a tremendous insight.
"Your loving kind vision of
three eagles chasing each other in a heart-shaped circle in the sky did this.
"Our Earth is our heart and our
heart is the Earth."
Then the King proclaimed, "May
all the people in this land celebrate and learn to play CaringForMa. Let us
rejoice in the way all things are connected!
"May loving kindness cure our
broken hearts and may we cherish our land by showing caring and thanks!"
Magically once again, Awe saw above
in the sky three eagles chasing each other in a heart-shaped circle.
