Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Crystal (04/24/25)
-
TITLE: Dizzy Dancer | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Taylor
04/30/25 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
The air was thick with moisture, and drops like dew clung to every leaf, vine, and creature. The dappled light filtering through the emerald and fluorescent canopy accentuated the chaos of a jungle throbbing with loud and unrelenting life. The kaleidoscopic patchwork of wild rainbow swaths almost hid her amidst the sunlight scattering like golden coins in the treetops.
The crystal vase lying prone on my picnic blanket drew her out. Perhaps the prism of primary colors pasted boldly across my white blouse made her mistake me for another parrot like herself. Hopping down from the latticework of celba and kapok trees, the parrot flashed her plumage of green, red, blue, and gold. It was that moment I nicknamed her “Crystal.”
Crystal became a regular at my picnic spot as I wrestled with my translation projects. She was there through the book of Mark and sat quietly on a crooked limb overhead as I struggled through Luke. Vines, like coiled serpents, snuggled around ancient gnarled trunks while scarlet and fuchsia blooms invaded a palette of over a hundred shades of green. It was almost too much to take in while focusing on the genealogy of Jesus or the proper endings for a verb.
On one occasion, when I held a special treat, she swooped down and danced in circles like an Indian chief. Her dancing made me dizzy and left me laughing. She raised her head to gauge my reaction and then returned to her dizzy dancing. She was a three-ring circus all on her own. She earned the treat.
Crystal somehow attracted life to our little oasis. It had been a perfect spot for meditation before her. Now, it seemed that monkeys set up their playground all around us. Hawks circled overhead, watching every move. A toucan hopped along on the ground around me, perhaps hoping for a tidbit. A colleague warned me of jaguars spotted in the area, and my prayer life improved as I considered what else I should do.
Some days, I couldn’t be sure that Crystal’s calls weren’t really disguised laughter. On three occasions she made brief flights over my blanket and dropped a treasure. One time, a guava, another time, a small papaya, and still another, a Brazil nut. Her beak was like a saber, tearing into the sweet flesh of her find. With the golden treasure dripping a stream of juices, I had to constantly check overhead to see if Crystal had chosen my nook to celebrate another feast.
I’m not sure how Crystal dealt with the sheets of teaming rain that pelted my oasis without warning. The wild and sudden torrent disrupted my rhythms but I’m sure that parrot ducked under a leaf or snuggled into a hollowed-out trunk. When the heavenly waterfall shushed to a whisper on the canopy, I would grab my umbrella and stroll back to our spot. She was always there with the first ray of sun, preening herself and basking in the warmth of her native environment.
She became a friend who opened her home, not once possessive or disturbed by sharing her space. When the darkening shades of evening pulled indigo and crimson from the sky, she faded away with the light. A few times, I braved the pathways with my husband and my flashlight, trying to spot her in a private space. While the forest never slept, she did, in a place I never discovered. Insects chirred, frogs croaked, owls whooo-ed, and occasionally a jaguar snarled, but not a peep from Crystal.
Crystal stood like a sentinel near me during my foray into Genesis, Numbers, and Ruth. By then, it was time for our home assignment. My shopping habits changed as I prepared for our deputation. I bought brightly colored blouses and shared my adventures about Crystal, even as I explained what we had accomplished in our translation. On too many occasions, as we slogged our way through more language training and computer programming, I caught myself dreaming of my jungle friend and companion.
It took longer than I had hoped to head back to the jungles and for a year we were assigned to another station. When a mission flight was scheduled to drop in on our former location, I took my crystal vase and set it in the sun. Although I waited throughout the day, I never found my friend. Translation hasn’t been crystal clear since.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Also, if you're part of the FW's group on Facebook and would like to receive more comments, go to the page and look for a post called Drop a Hint. You can leave a clue and others will hopefully see it and come, read, and comment on this charming piece. If you're not a member of the group, you can join! Hope to see you there!