The Bilowea Fable

Once there was an Elk and a Giraffe who lived in separate, but equally beautiful, parts of an imaginary paradise called Matoomba. Elk, a graceful creature, lived on one side of the desert near a beautiful jade lagoon and the Giraffe, who was tall and strong of heart, lived on the other side of the desert where the trees were tall and filled with ripe and luscious fruit. Between Elk and Giraffe lay the coursing red-hot desert sands of the Matoomba desert - the stay of all creatures' dreams.

Elk and Giraffe knew the other existed and used to talk to each other by bellowing across the desert sands every day. "Bilowea" the elk would cry..."Bilowea" the giraffe would respond. Bilowea was their secret word that means "be it love where each abides". Neither had much concern about the differences between them and consequently they fell very much in love. To Elk and Giraffe, they weren't so different as they both liked warm summer days and the soft refreshing rain. Both loved to laze by a waterhole and to eat green leaves and soft, tender shoots. The only problem was that their path to true love was blocked by the parched and unforgiving desert sands.

As everyday passed, Elk would wait by the same bush to hear the cry of her beloved Giraffe. Everyday her love grew stronger as she heard his cries across the hot desert sands. Others would tell Elk that it was strange for her to love Giraffe, but Elk didn't listen and thus she continued on in the hope that one day she and Giraffe would survey the beauty of Matoomba together. Elk and Giraffe dreamed that they would share every sunset and play on the very same plains of Matoomba together walking side by side. They talked and imagined and imagined and talked for many phases of the moon. They vowed the distance was not going to defeat them because the graceful mantle of the night sky spread its wings and littered the velveteen blueness with the same twinkling stars that filled the vision of both the Elk and the Giraffe in union.... surely this was meant as a message from the Gods, a sign that their love would converge into oneness at a time appointed by the fates.

Elk planned her dangerous journey across the desert, the risk of being trapped and killed by hunters and even lions was great, and greater was the risk that she would die of lack of water on the way across so each day she planned carefully and edged closer to her goal. Giraffe waited and hoped that the day Elk arrived would be soon. Elk knew what she wanted and no matter what anyone told her Giraffe was beautiful to her and she loved him with such devotion that it could not be swayed. Giraffe loved Elk just the same and his mind and heart was filled with pictures of her constantly. Their love pushed them forward toward their dreams each and every second.

The day had finally come; Elk was ready to set out on the journey of her heart.... across the feared Matoomba desert. She walked for many days and many nights forging ahead against the cruel elements. It didn't take too long before the beautiful Elk grew sick with lack of water and food. Fearing the worst, she gently dug a hole and lay there in the cool desert sands until the sun went down. Elk was very afraid, the howling of the jackals and the low growls of the big cats sounded close.

Many risings and fallings of the moon and stars had passed; there was no word from Giraffe. Elk worried that her Giraffe had forgotten her, or she had maybe lost her path. That night Elk, slowly she slipped into a restless and troubled sleep. In the morning, the sun burned hot upon Elk's weary brow. She had to find water and some grass. Carefully she stood on shaky legs and looked across the expanse of the sand. There was nothing to be seen. Elk despaired, she couldn't remember how to go back, so she decided the only thing to do was to trek forward no matter what her future held.

On and on Elk trudged until she could go no further. She slunk into a exhausted heap on the ground. Overhead the buzzards circled her, mocking at her with their cries of hunger. A single tear rolled down Elk's nose as she thought of Giraffe. She thought she wasn't going to make it. In a last attempt she cried out for Giraffe, but she knew he couldn't hear her. Finally, Elk grew cold, and the sand began to cover her failing body. With her last breath she cried to her Giraffe but still no answer. Elk lay drawing her last breathe and her sad heart began to ring out it's last beat, she blinked once, then twice, and then again.... there before her silhouetted against the burning sun was her Giraffe, there he was!! A small smile crept to her lips as she felt her heart grow suddenly stronger. Giraffe nudged his Elk gently and lifted her onto his back. Giraffe pressed a water-weed close to Elk's lips so she could gently partake of its life-giving moisture; he gave her tender shoots he had kept in his mouth the entire trip so he could sustain her on her heart's journey home.

After Elk began to make some progress, Giraffe began to travel back to his home, which was not all that far away at all, in fact it was no more than 100 paces for his long legs. Imagine that! If Elk had given up, if Elk had let herself fall into a heap and die to the Matoomba desert, she would never have seen her Giraffe. Now because she waited and hoped until the end, she and Giraffe could live happily ever after ranging Matoomba together and tasting of every rising and falling of the sun. As a sign to all travelers, the Gods pressed a mysterious seed into the earth where Elk once lay in her despair. To this day, a beautiful red desert flower blooms called the Bilowea. It has petals in the shape of a teardrop and serves to remind all of the things that all do satisfy their need to love and companionship.

The moral of this story is that sometimes, the road we travel is imperfect and even dangerous, but the destination is what makes the journey worth the while because it is the culmination of all our hopes and dreams. Oftentimes, whilst traveling that road, all we see is the road itself or we get side-tracked by the scenery along the way. We then lose sight of where we are going and what we want to achieve. Bumps and potholes along the way often make us wonder if our journey is a worthwhile one...as each scrape and knock whittles away our determination that holds us fast to our dreams, until once again we reach out in our mind to explore the destination we seek. We come to realize that it is a worthwhile journey indeed. I guess this is a little reminder for you that you should not lose hope or lose sight of the greater goal you are working toward in love and life. Do not despair at the potholes and the things that you are seeing by looking at the road...lift your eyes to the destination...fix your mind on that and that alone...and the journey's despairs will seem less.