Suddenlys

(This allegory from 1993, based on a dream, addresses the three Yoga principles (or gunas) of creation and for creating: tamas (inertia), rajas (activity), and sattva (light and clarity). This story was part of an editorial in Onion River Review, Fall, 1993: Volume 1, Number 1. It has been edited and gently revised).
A grave digger digs a perfect hole in an idyllic, flat spot shaded by a grand old oak tree. Not too close, however. It would never do to have tree roots invading the quintessential grave site, coiling around the future tenant, a young boy who is expected to die as a result of a tragic accident. Just as the grave digger scoops out the last shovelful of dirt, word comes that the boy has turned the corner and is expected to live after all. She feels a touch of excitement: the possibilities…! The grave digger climbs out of the hole and assesses the situation: now that time is no longer a factor, she decides to shore up the walls with grade-A bricks, specifically choosing gray…