The Wisdom of a Pencil

Author: Li Meng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The cave echoed with our conversation, the faint blue light barely illuminating the surroundings. I had to press the button again from time to time to avoid falling into darkness. I couldn’t see Dora’s expression, but I felt her place her hand reassuringly in mine.
“Look,” I said to Dora, “often we can’t fully trust someone, but I know you trust me now. Sometimes you can’t just trust what you see—you also have to trust what you feel. If you want others to trust you, you should first believe you can trust them, even in the dark. Though you can’t see clearly around you, you trust me, trust that we can get out of this darkness.”
Time seemed to stand still, the sounds froze, and the space vanished.
Life proves what you once had by what you lose. When you truly feel, you perceive the world with your eyes, ears, and tongue. In that moment of darkness, when your eyes lost their function, the world perceived by your other senses revealed a different kind of beauty—one we had never noticed before.
I faintly heard the tour guide’s loud commentary through the megaphone. The sound seemed nearby, and my heart began to relax as I finally caught a glimpse of light. I squeezed Dora’s hand and reminded her, “Light’s coming soon.”
“Mm,” she replied obediently. In the face of darkness, women are naturally gentle and timid.
Suddenly, I didn’t want the light to come on.
Her steps grew unsteady, and I had to support her. She gripped the stone wall beside the stairs with her other hand before finally reaching the illuminated area. I noticed sweat on her forehead and handed her a tissue.
She looked at me gratefully and wiped the sweat away.
“Do you still have the strength?” I asked.
“Maybe it was too dark and cold before, so I broke out in a cold sweat. It’s nothing,” she said, her voice faint and her cheeks flushed.
By the time we exited the cave, it was already 1:00 PM. The rice stalks in July and August were golden, and sunlight danced on the tips of the leaves. Dora put on her hat, looking like a tomboy.