Hanuman the Teacher

Hanuman slowly moved part of the backstage curtain out of the way as he peeked into the elementary school's small auditorium. The whole floor was littered with kids all lined up in rows with their legs crisscrossed, chatting up a storm as they waited for their surprise. The students started to stop paying attention to the stage within just a few seconds of being sat down.

"Sir Hanuman? Are you going to go out there soon? The kids are getting restless and the longer you wait, the harder it will be to get their attention," said the school's principal quietly behind Hanuman with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Burton," was his only reply, with a warming smile that calmed her down. After a few more minutes Hanuman announced, "I think I will go ahead and take the stage now. Please feel free to take notes too." Those were his last words behind stage. From out behind the curtains Hanuman walked onto the stage and stood in the middle of it facing the few hundred students. A few students noticed him, but paid no attention to him as he looked like a normal man with an odd-looking face that resembled that of a monkey.

With a childish grin, Hanuman changed his form to the size of a young ape with fur as orange as the sun. This immediately caught the eyes of the few kids who were watching as they gasped loudly "A monkey!" Then the whole auditorium got quiet as all the kids stopped talking and stared in astonishment at the golden monkey standing on his hind legs on stage. "Good morning kids! My name is Hanuman. I am here to teach you guys a few very important words in life." With just these first few words, the kids had completely forgotten all distractions around them and sat wide-eyed with their jaws to the floor as a talking monkey stood in front of them.

Hanuman then held three fingers up in the air and said, "Now I know the only thing you are going to remember is a talking golden monkey, but I want to ask all of you a favor. Can all of you promise to remember just three words?" With quick nods from all the kids, Hanuman replied, "Great, these words are a little big, so I'll write them for you!" He then wrote in the air with his fingers the three words: Commitment, Devotion, and Trust. As his finger traced the air spelling out each word, it left a trace of yellow sunlight that stayed in place outlining the letters. With each word completed, Hanuman arranged all the words above his head like they were movable thought bubbles.

"Now I want to tell a quick story. When I was younger and about your age, I was a wild and crazy ape. I ran all over the place, not listening to anyone. My dad always told me to behave and be a good little monkey, but it was already too late. I was hungry one morning, and I decided to jump as high as I could and eat the sun for breakfast!" and as he finished that statement, Hanuman had created a sun out of thin air way above his head and he leaped up at it as if to eat it. The kids' eyes were glued to Hanuman by this point. He had succeeded in gaining their undivided attention with all of his magic tricks. As Hanuman approached closer to the sun ever so slowly, he continued his story, "On my way up to the sun, I got too close to the clouds, and I got hit by lightning. I fell to the ground hurt, and my dad got scared." Hanuman then gently landed back on the stage floor. "My dad came to my rescue and swore to protect me no matter what the costs. This is where my three words come into play. My dad was committed to being the best dad he could, and had devoted his life to protect me. He had trusted me to behave, but I did not. Since I did not listen to my dad's warnings and betrayed his trust, I also ending up hurting him too. This is the day I learned what all those words meant and promised to be a good son."

All the kids at this time all started to tear up. Hanuman finished his speech to the elementary students with these final words: "I don't expect you all to understand what this story really means yet. I just kindly ask you all to remember my story, and to remember these three words." Hanuman then proceeded to repeat each word while poking it with a finger causing each word - Commitment, Devotion, and Trust - to explode in a barrage of fireworks. Hanuman then exited the stage behind the curtains. That same night all the kids went home and told their parents about the talking monkey and his story and some even asked their parents to explain to them in more detail what his three words really meant.