Sat Prem walked through the house as dusk peered into the colour-filled living space. Barefoot musicians played instruments, a fire warmed them and soup was served with fresh bread. Grateful for the warmth that these travellers brought to her space, Sat Prem’s heart pressed a gentle smile through her cheeks. Toes burrowed into the big carpet, hands wrapped around a warm cup of tea, she revelled in the continued, ineffable beauty of existence.

It was common for people to come and go, and with each wave of communal pouring, Sat Prem’s home grew a little in size. By now, the windows were ginormous. Whether true or not, Sat Prem believed they grew over time, for the gods that gathered to peer in on life’s delight. Hands pulling the at the windows to make more space to see a spectacle so ordinary for Sat Prem, yet so rare for many of this world.

Surrounding the house stood fields with small lanes that travellers explored in. Trees held guard for the magic of this place, and welcomed an abundance of life. A giant garden with homegrown herbs and vegetables kept mouths and bellies in good spirits. Butterflies flitted through the ever changing skies, chased by playful cats that nuzzled into the house. Once stray, they had made a home here with the ladybugs and wildflowers that brushed different colours and patterns across the space with each changing season.  

On this particular night, the skies lulled into darkness, and Sat Prem made her way to the courtyard. A fire popped golden sparkles towards the stars, and laughter reverberated through the surrounding fields. A small girl, around ten, sat by the fire alone. Inviting herself to join the girl, Sat Prem greeted her, “Hello.”

The little girl’s hands pressed together, with a small stone held inside. Smooth and white. Clutched as though as though a precious puzzle, yet to be fully figured.

“I see you found the stones” Sat Prem spoke, voice soft. The little girl’s eyes looked up, her body paused as though waiting for Sat Prem to continue. “Have they spoken to you yet?”

The young girl bit her bottom lip, assessing how much was safe to share.   

“You were by the river, I assume?” Sat Prem questioned further. A small cat stroked her ankles, a gentle hello before slinking away into the evening’s mysteries.

The little girl nodded, “Yes.”

“Where the branches of the trees dangle in the water?”

“Yes” She paused, eyes a little wider, ”Where the water makes a sound. Like, ku-ku-ku-ku.”

“Ah, so you did hear the stones.”

The girl was quiet. Contemplation planted firmly in her gaze.

“I was about your age when I first met the stones too. I remember it so well.” Sat Prem shared. “I assume it’s been quite a journey for you today, if your introduction was anything like mine.” Sat Prem took a sip of her tea, glee tapped her feet on the ground as she reminisced on those years so many moons ago.

“How was it for you?” the young girl asked.

“What is your name, dear child?” Sat Prem redirected.

“They call me Leela” She responded. 

“Leela. It’s lovely to meet you. My name is Sat Prem. Your father is the one playing the guitar inside, is that right?”

“Yes, and my mama is the one in the purple dress who walked with you in the vegetable garden earlier.”

“Wonderful. How Lovely. Leela I’m happy to tell you about the stones, but I need you to promise me one thing, ok?”

“Ok.”

“I need you to promise me that you will keep what I share with you. Keep it close - in your heart. Don’t throw it away. Especially when life gets hard.” She looked at Leela, brow brushed high with a serious tone, eager for her words to be received by the little girl. 

Leela nodded. Turning the stone in her hands she gazed at the smooth white texture. “That’s ok, I can do that.” A nod affirmed her words. “I promise.”

Sat Prem nodded too, so as to seal their agreement. Paused for a moment, reflective, and then spoke. “They hold great healing, the stones. They are little homes for the spirits of the river, and great wisdom can be found in them. Sometimes if you listen closely enough, you’ll hear them sing and play their instruments too.”

“Like everyone inside?”

“Like everyone inside. In fact, I believe that the river spirits gave humans their music. Today it’s been passed from person to person, for longer than we can remember, but originally, it was the stones who taught us to sing.”

“I was singing with them today,” Leela gazed into the fire, as though confessing a secret to Sat Prem.

“You sang with them, on your first meeting? Wow Leela. They must really love you. Do you remember the song that you sang?”

A melody hummed through Leela’s mouth, and for the first time in all her life, Sat Prem united with another human through the stones. Leela’s song was the very same one that Sat Prem had been given by the river spirits when she too, was just a child. It was a song that had held her through so many moons of existence. Rooted her as she rose, and grew into more. A melody that had witnessed many moments of solitude, and many weathers of the sky. Sat Prem joined Leela and together they hummed a shared knowing. Warm tears caressed Sat Prem’s happy cheeks. 

Sat Prem stood and beckoned Leela to follow her. Into the house they walked, artwork on the walls vivid and cool. She pointed to a shelf that Leela hadn’t noticed before. Atop it sat a delicately balanced set of river stones, white like the one she still held in her hands. They walked further into the house, and Sat Prem revealed all the spirit stones sat in plain sight. Nestled in the fruit bowl with bananas and coconuts, perched by doorways, under beds, and tucked into drawers. Keepers and protectors of the home, they acted as guardians. 

Sat Prem then crouched to Leela’s height, and lovingly spoke. “Leela, this is how I have the home that I do. How I trust travellers, people I’ve never met before, like you, to come into this house. This is how I welcome people warmly. Because I am always, always held by the stones. When I was your age, I went to the river every day, and they taught me how to be free. Sometimes I would disappear in the fullness of their lessons. They would take me to a place that humans try to describe.”

Leela’s eyes fixated on every word Sat Prem spoke, aura bouncing with anticipation for life, eager to drink every drop of the magic that was being poured. Sat Prem, aware of the Leela’s attention, continued, “People try to give it a name. They call it God, or source, or spirit. A place without substance, where life itself swallows you whole. When you have a deep intimacy with that place, the place we are all born from, you are so very protected, Leela. And when you are protected, it is safe for life to flow. People will come and go. Emotions and life experiences will appear and then float away again. When you are held by the wisdom of this way of life, connected to the cycles, you can allow it all. And then, Leela, you become so very alive, because you get to experience so much more than you might have if you lived having to protect yourself instead.”

Leela smiled, allowing Sat Prem’s words to sink in. She understood, and Sat Prem spoke further still. “Leela, this is the miracle of life. Life itself. We are living.” Her eyes widened to emphasize the very real wonder of existence. “And I believe this stone wants to journey on with you. When you leave in the morning. Take it.” She clasped both hands around Leela’s, stone embedded within. “This world is a place for you to play, to rejoice and erupt. It is a place for you to become so wrapped in delight that you become lost. May your days ahead be lived so fully - and when life has weathered your young skin, and the soles of your feet are wise from world travel, I think you just might sit with another girl, perhaps your own child, and tell her of the stones. Sing her the song, so she can be held by it too.” Sat Prem began to hum the stones’ melody once again, face kissed by a life of emotions. Leela joined in with the gentle humming, her life forever changed now by this day. Was Sat Prem a witch? She was kind, that was certain. A gatekeeper, an initiatress. A blessing to the life all around, because she was forever held by a magic that she saw and leaned into.