In a time before time, many thousands of years ago. While small tribes roamed the natural world. At one with nature and the spirits.
Seeking out survival in a beautiful but dangerous world. Where beasts, large and small could end your life in a second. Awareness was a lifesaving skill.
It was during this age that a young couple from two separate tribes wished to get married. Mey and Ezra. It was not called marriage but it was a life time bond and commitment between two humans.
There was not that much interaction between tribes in that time. However, the tribes had worked out that creating children from totally different tribes built the strongest people.
Many of the tribes where quite small and made up of one big family. The women would always join the man's tribe after they committed to each other.
Marriage could only happen after the pair had been through the manhood and womanhood ceremonies. Where they transitioned from boy to man and girl to woman.
The ceremony varied but it was often a hard test of strength, skill and survival. Not everyone survived.
One day Mey and Ezra who had been in love for years and had finally just come through the ceremony where very excited that they could finally get married.
They were dying to be able to live together as they missed each other terribly when apart. It was very dangerous but they had often sneaked away to meet each by a waterfall in the thick forest.
Communication in those days wasn't the easiest either. It was a few thousand years before phones and even writing was very primitive.
The young couple would have to meet with a wise man before they could get married. He would give them advice and share his wisdom with them. He would also test their commitment to one another.
On this particular occasion, he was meeting them by the waterfall they had secretly met at many times before.
One of the tests was to stand under the freezing waterfall for as long as possible to free their body of any evil spirits that may have attached themselves.
It may not sound like much but having powerful, freezing water smashing down on your head for a few minutes was a true test of inner strength and will power.
Spirits where known to travel from person to person and so all three of them would have to stand under the waterfall to wash away any evil and impurities down the river and not into a nearby soul.
During this test, the Mey fell and was washed down the stream. She screamed as she struggled and fought the water. Ezra dove in after her. He was strong and powerful.
He called upon his higher self to give him strength and speed and wisdom to save the love of his life. He finally managed to grab hold of her and pull her to the bank.
They both lay there, coughing and spluttering and gasping for air. They had both swallowed copious amounts of water and wretched it up. At least it was clean.
The old man finally caught up with them. It turned out that he had pushed the Mey for the test was for the man to save his woman and prove his undying love for her regardless of the danger that he was put in himself.
While Mey wanted to be angry that the old man had almost killed her, she also understood that their bond and love had not only grown for Ezra but he had proved he was always going to be there for her.
He would be her rock and saviour. He would protect her and make her safe. That was the whole point of the union.
The old man built a fire so that they could get warm again and recover from their ordeal. He shared his knowledge with them during this time.
Speaking about children and caring for them. Speaking about love and the importance of their connection with nature.
Speaking about a strong bond and relationship and sharing and caring for one another. Their equal roles in the upcoming marriage.
He spoke about the ceremony and the words that would be exchanged. The celebration afterwards. The eternal bond and love that would be formed that could last many lifetimes.
They could meet again in a future lifetime and get married once more. The couple were very excited. Finally, the day arrived and there was much dancing and singing and celebrating.
The ceremony was a complete success. Mushrooms where consumed and wisdom shared.
Finally Mey and Ezra managed to sneak away into their new shelter and spend the rest of the night making love and creating their first child.
It was not an easy life on those days but with someone by your side who loved you and cared for you, it felt a lot easier and definitely a lot more fun.
Beautiful! I feel my husband of 40 yrs rescued me!
that was nice, ... "mushrooms were consumed"???