A tale of renewal and hope

A tale of renewal and hope

September 2014

By T A Balasubramanian

Wellsprings, A Fable of Consciousness, William T. Hathaway, Cosmic Egg Books, Paperback, INR 795, 93 pages

hat we see here is a future for the rest of the world – a bunch of lifeless minerals – unless we bring nature back into flow again.” Set in 2026, this is a fictional tale about water – or rather, the lack of it. It is a terrifying world in which water is so scarce that corporations control access to the water supply. This may seem to be a dark   projection of the future, but it is based on the fact that the world is facing a dwindling supply of fresh water.

The story is simple. A young man and an elderly woman – Bob and Jane – are the two seekers who decide to venture out to locate a mythical untapped source of water.

They are chased by a business enterprise that has secured the rights to all underground water sources. The two work and travel together to locate the source of the hidden spring, and bring it to the surface before the corporation finds it and begins drilling. They use a process of meditation to synchronize their energies until they discover the subterranean source of abundant water. The scenes describing the parched land as they travel are evocative of a desolate planet. “This used to be a great place for birds – egrets, sandpipers, even pelicans. Now that the water is gone, they are dying out. Soon, they’ll all be gone, just like the trees that used to grow on those hills.” In contrast, the scenes describing the couple’s discovery of the spring, after a prolonged spiritual journey, are like a series of metaphors for hope and renewal. In the process, Bob and Jane become close and fall in love. The book is short (barely 100 pages),` but it carries a potent warning about a very real ecological disaster waiting to happen, along with a cheerful message. Hathaway invites us to ponder about what we could be facing in the next decade or so if we do not recognize the signals. Bleak as this vision is, the story closes on a positive note because it is about spiritual faith, rediscovery and connection.