“Love will Return in Another Way”
Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian Jewish novelist and writer from Prague. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. There’s a story of this man helping a girl finding her doll, the way he handled the situation for her, keeping her calm intact and writing a letter for her telling her its a letter from her doll, so she understands the doll remembers her and is communicating with her. Its a very small thing but it has a very wide impact on human beings especially children.
Sometimes elders have child-like behaviors, knowing one has an ear or a shoulder to lean on to whenever they can is one of the most precious treasures in the world. He made sure the little girl understands that even though she cannot see her doll but can still communicate and then he bought her a new one. These are very small things but the ones who go through such turmoils of being able to discuss their little problems and they get resolved with all the right attention is a huge help beyond infinity, I must say. When she will grow older she will understand someone was helpful and she must help whenever she sees it’s needed the most.
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Even if someone is listening to one’s problem and they know the one listening cannot resolve that problem for them, still its a breather for the one narrating their stories with the belief that their story will not become a gossip and remains confidential. In this miserable, suffocating world such help is very impactful for the ones in trouble. Be it small or big, at least it is a breather, much soothing, relaxing, helping them to cope with the circumstances positively. Like they say every little help no matter how small it may be speak volumes.
The story goes like this:
At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children, walked through the park in Berlin when he met a girl who was crying because she had lost her favourite doll. She and Kafka searched for the doll unsuccessfully. Kafka told her to meet him there the next day and they would come back to look for her. The next day, when they had not yet found the doll, Kafka gave the girl a letter “written” by the doll saying “please don’t cry. I took a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures.” Thus began a story which continued until the end of Kafka’s life.
During their meetings, Kafka read the letters of the doll carefully written with adventures and conversations that the girl found adorable. Finally, Kafka brought back the doll (he bought one) that had returned. “It doesn’t look like my doll at all,“ said the girl. Kafka handed her another letter in which the doll wrote: “my travels have changed me.” The little girl hugged the new doll and brought her home happily. A year later Kafka died.
Many years later, the now-adult girl found a letter inside the doll. In the tiny letter signed by Kafka it was written:
“Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way.”
