Usually, a birthday is a long-awaited day for every child. They mark the date of that most special event on a calendar and invite their friends, expecting pleasant surprises. They prepare to demonstrate their achievements and hope to receive praise. Then after a certain age, people relate to their birthdays differently: they have already heard all the wishes and enjoyed all possible surprises. Every coming birthday presents another year they must add to their past life, but this particular one was definitely an exception.
It was my grandfather's birthday, and he was excited about it like a child, maybe because he had lived a significant number of years; I don't know why. Both my grandfather and grandmother were totally consumed in preparations for this event. They sent invitations to all our relatives, even those who lived far away: my grandfather's brother and his huge family, nephews, and cousins with their families.
The house was embellished and adorned so beautifully. My grandmother prepared a display of all my grandfather's photographs, whatever she could find.
And the day was here. Guests started to arrive, and I was the one to greet everybody at the entrance. Most of them looked noble and dignified, especially my grandfather's brother, who showed up in a big luxury automobile. This gathering was unique and very special to all the guests. They were all talking about their genealogy tree, trying to figure out their relations to each other, and searching for past connections.
Finally, we were all sitting down at the long table, expecting someone to take the initiative to propose a toast. My grandfather's brother got up with a glass of wine in his hand.
"As you probably all know, my brother and I were not of distinguished birth, born into a family of poor manufacturing workers. Our parents earned their bread with sweat and weary labor in a little town near the sea. We didn't know any other life, so that was our sweet childhood in the homeland; we were two happy bare footers. He became a real friend to me, a friend who is closer than a brother.
That life presented stability for us until one day, a fire broke out in the manufactory, and our parents died. It felt as if someone had removed the ground from under our feet.
My brother and I were placed in an orphanage, and our sweet childhood was over. Many children in that orphanage were already sick due to the terrible living conditions. My little brother got sick, too. He kept wailing from pain, and I could not comfort him. After some time, I got really desperate, and yet another change came about.
This time, a wealthy couple from overseas visited our orphanage and decided to adopt me. I begged them to take my brother also, but they were informed that his sickness was fatal, and his case was hopeless. So, our ways did part, I thought forever. I left my homeland and moved to another continent with my new family. All contact with that orphanage was to help me forget my terrible past. I didn't have any chance to see my little brother ever again.
My new parents treated me well and provided me with the opportunity to study.
It was a foreign ground, but I learned to walk on it. As the years passed, I became a successful businessman and started my own sea freight company. Some years ago, I met a delegation on one of the foreign ships, and the biggest surprise of my life was waiting for me there. I saw him, same smile, same eyes. My little brother was standing with the sailors. It was shocking for us to finally find each other after all those years. I guess it was ordained from above. We both experienced many storms in life, but in every storm, we eventually found dry land, a stable ground to stand upon!
Today, on my dear brother's anniversary, I want to propose a toast to the stable ground. On this day, we are here together, in the presence of all our descendants, who are more precious than diamonds since they represent our future. Let them not be lost in roaring waters of life, but walk on the solid, stable ground!"
We all enjoyed a delicious meal and looked at each other again, not knowing what to do next. Our connections in the past were established, and we were all glad to have a future. But now, in the present, do we have anything in common?
"Let's watch the news!" suggested one of the relatives.
This idea seemed to relieve tension between us since everyone could relate to it, and each hurried to find a spot in the TV room. My grandmother sat on the couch with other elderly ladies.
"I haven't watched the TV news for quite a while," she honestly admitted to them.
"Oh, dear!" They exclaimed in unison. "How can you live not knowing what's happening around you?"
I went to turn the TV on, and everyone opened his mind like an infant would open his mouth at his mother's breast.
"We expect another year of drought. Consequently, the supply of vegetables will decrease, and their prices will rise. In addition to that, the big forest territory was inflamed, and the fire caused a lot of damage. For that reason, our local government issued a decree about the additional taxes required from all the residents from the beginning of next month."
"Gosh, these economy talks are too boring! Change the channel; let's watch some action," suggested one of the younger children.
The same voice continued.
"Another airplane was intercepted by the terrorists. Another war broke out, and the extremists are burning entire settlements; they opened gunfire, not sparing anyone, women, old men, and babies."
"How can you sleep after hearing such news? This is so terrible! I think I made the right decision never to watch it," concluded my grandmother.
"Look now! This should be interesting," responded a lady who sat to the right of her. Our city mayor is talking."
"We proudly announce that the beauty contest winner was born in our hometown. What a gorgeous woman she became! Today she is the beauty queen of the entire continent!"
"What is beautiful about that girl?" exclaimed my grandmother. "She appears almost naked on television, like a whore!"
"Oh, dear! Responded the same lady from the right. "Nobody is bothered by this any longer. We are facing a terrible descent in morals and ethics everywhere. Can you imagine abortions and homosexual marriages that became a norm in society? And on top of that, the increasing cost of living!"
"I'm so desperate! We have no future!" And my grandmother burst into tears.
One of our family members was a teacher, and he firmly believed that simple awareness of the environment is beneficial for stability and peace of mind. He felt responsible for handling the situation.
"In so much as we see the whole infrastructure of our society is falling apart, we know that all foundations are shaking," he stated. "As we know, every house needs a solid foundation, and if the building is founded on fraud and conceit, it will not be able to stand long. Integrity is not relevant anymore. Appearances settle all the issues between the people. Among all the available options to cooperate with life, pretense remains the easiest and the most popular one."
"Ah, where are those good old days? My grandmother sighed. "At least our generation had some moral standards!"
"Why blame our children? replied the teacher." They're building upon the foundation we set in place for them," but instead of calm, his explanations only ignited the fire. Now everyone felt an urge to throw his log into it.
"This degradation is phenomenal!"
"What's the use of this "solid ground"? It's only good to spit on it!"
"And, of course, they blame the Jews for all those problems!"
Then another relative, sitting very quietly till that moment, spoke up. He had an advisory position in the mayor's office and took it upon himself to bring the focus back into its place. He coughed to draw attention and stated: "Despite multiple challenges today, let us identify with the good results. We no longer depend on imports from overseas; we present a thriving independent industry. We constantly initiate creative projects and realize them in our widespread production structure. Our city's manufacturing is known worldwide for applying new progress ideas. Our national technology is considered to be ahead of the rest of the world! Our political status is recognized globally, and our prestige is growing daily. The future is in our hands! We are able!"
"We are surely able to produce a lot of… Well, who would volunteer to wake up and open his eyes to see frightful reality?" The oldest man of the gathering rhetorically concluded.
"It's time for dessert!" announced my grandmother, and our unity was restored. We all started to slowly move back to the dining room.
"Where is the birthday man?" inquired one of the relatives.
"Ah, he always takes a nap at this time of the day; he prefers to sleep through the news hour," she said with a smile. "But here he is, my darling!"
"Not being aware of what's going on is like living in a dream," commented the teacher. "The knowledge puts your feet on solid ground." Everyone turned to my grandfather: What will he answer?
He sat down, took a deep breath, and started:
"Allow me to share with you a story about the solid ground. I've heard it from one of the sailors on a night watch when there was no dry land in view.
It happened very long ago, but people were living exactly like we are living today. Everyone was busy with his own life; people were getting married, raising children, working hard, listening to the news, and discussing a phenomenal descent in morals and ethics. One day, the flow of ordinary daily routine was interrupted by a very peculiar event. One of the natives of that land, Noah, heard some information from a different source. The Creator of the world spoke and got Noah's attention. He announced the soon-coming punishment for sin and the destruction of all the dry land through the flood. Suddenly Noah found himself in a very destabilizing situation and started to reason in his heart:
"Hmm. Scientifically, it looks impossible. Where would such an amount of water come from? Plus, nobody knows this source of information, so people will mock me and put a stigma on my name. It might be dangerous for my family. What should I do? Maybe it would be safer to hide this information and pretend that I never heard anything special."
But the Creator continued: "I have something for you to do, Noah. I want you to build an arc, for I purpose to demonstrate my plan of salvation," and the Almighty gave him instructions and measurements.
It became pretty tough for Noah. He had to convince his sons to help him and to work hard every day. By the way, big chunks of wood were needed for that unique construction, and there was no logistic company in their day. His hands became calloused, and his whole body was hurting. The inhabitants of that land came together and concluded:
"Noah just wants to appear better than us! We should punish him for his pride and boycott him and his family!'
It seemed to be unending torment, until one day, at the appointed time, without further notice, the fountains of the deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were open.* At that time, no wailing or sobbing could make a difference. There wasn't one spot of solid ground to put your feet upon; all the dry land disappeared under those waters, together with all the inhabitants. Only in the arc, which represented Noah's partnership with the Almighty, was salvation and stability. Surely his life in the arc had its challenges, but he continued to hope until it really happened. One day Noah sent out a dove from the arc, and it returned to him, carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf as a sign of a new life. He saw it manifest in front of his eyes: his future homeland appeared. He inherited the future from the hand of the Creator Himself.
Noah and his family were set apart by the Almighty for salvation. Why was he able to stand this incredible test? He could endure till the end because from the beginning he was well-grounded in the land of the living, which cannot be destroyed."
"The desert is ready!" came a shout, and two men carried in a most beautiful cake. In one moment, everyone's attention switched to the table except mine.
I came very close to my grandfather and asked,
"Do you also hear the news from another source of information, like Noah?"
He smiled back. I persisted,
"Can you please tell me more? I need to hear it, too!"
He bent down and whispered in my ear.
"Just wait till the party is over, and then I will be delighted to tell you more. This is the best birthday present you could give me."