To Everything There Is A Season/Part 1

Empath's personal journal.

''This day is a sad day for Smurfette, for she has to deal with another pet of hers passing away, who has lived a full life and has been her companion for years since before this smurf has returned home for good from Psychelia. This smurf does not like having to deal with the death of close friends, but Papa Smurf and Tapper has told this smurf time and again that death is simply a natural part of life, and that all living things must eventually pass away, although Tapper promises that there will be a better life awaiting those who will put their faith in the Almighty when they die. While this smurf may not yet be ready to put my faith in an unseen deity -- and one that Hefty claims is imaginary -- this smurf will be there to help comfort this smurf's friends during the passing of their friends from this life.'' - It was a sunny day in the Smurf Village when Empath, Tapper, Duncan McSmurf, and Polaris Psyche were gathered together in the memorial park, standing over a new grave where a tombstone engraved with the likeness of Smurfette's pet was erected. The mood was somber as Tapper oversaw the memorial for the deceased pet.

"O Lord God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, I pray that on this day of days that You would smurf comfort to our hearts in our time of loss with the promise that we will smurf our friends again in the new world that You have prepared for those who love You with all their heart," Tapper prayed. "Again, let us be reminded by the words of Your faithful servant Solomon: 'To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to root up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.'"

"Amen," Duncan said as the gathered Smurfs bowed their heads together in solemn reverence.

"Thank you, Tapper, for those words that you have smurfed to me today," Smurfette said. "And thank you, Empath, Duncan, and Polaris, for being here with me in my time of sorrow. I don't know what I would smurf without you as I see another pet of mine being smurfed to rest."

"It's always my pleasure and honor, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "There's no reason that you should endure the loss all by yoursmurf when you have other Smurfs who are willing to smurf the burden with you."

"Are you sure there's nothing else any one of us can smurf for you, lassie?" Duncan asked politely.

"I'll be all right, Duncan, thank you," Smurfette said. "I know now that death is just simply a part of life and that I must continue to live on and carry the memory of my pet mouse with me and cherish those moments of happiness that he smurfed me."

"Well, if you need to have a new pet to replace the one you lost, Smurfette, I'm sure that I can smurf to Tracker to see if he can smurf you one, my dear Smurfette," Tapper said. "Until then, Duncan and me will smurf you some space for you to recover from your grief."

"Uh, aye, lassie, we will," Duncan said, realizing that it was his cue for him and Tapper to depart and allow Smurfette some time alone with Empath and Polaris.

After Tapper and Duncan walked off, Polaris spoke. "This one would be curious to know how you came across having a pet of your own to take care of during the time before Empath had returned to the Smurf Village for good, Smurfette," he requested.

"You don't have to tell the story if it makes you feel uncomfortable, Smurfette," Empath gently reminded her.

"I feel that I'm comfortable enough to smurf it to whomever I want to, Empath," Smurfette said, trying not to sound ungrateful for Empath's suggestion. "Anyway, Polaris, it was about four years before Empath returned home when I smurfed across my first pet in the forest. Some of the details come from Narrator, but this is what I have personally remembered..." - As Smurfette began her story, Polaris saw her as she appeared about four years before Empath returned home for good, stepping out of her house and taking in a breath of the fresh air that came in from the forest, feeling happy that it was another beautiful day in the Smurf Village. At that moment, Tapper and Duncan were just passing by Smurfette's house. "Smurf o' the morning to you, my dear Smurfette," Tapper greeted.

"Oh, hello there, Tapper, and hello there to you too, Duncan," Smurfette greeted back. "Isn't this just another lovely beautiful day?"

"Aye, lassie, and there's no better place to smurf such a beautiful day than right here in the village," Duncan said.

"So what do you plan on smurfing today, if you don't mind my asking, Smurfette?" Tapper asked.

"Well, I plan on smurfing some lovely flowers from the forest that would smurf great for the tables around the village, Tapper," Smurfette answered.

"I have no doubt that you would smurf such a great job smurfing the right kind of flowers, lassie," Duncan said. "Just be careful handling those thistles if you plan on smurfing some home with you from the forest."

Smurfette giggled. "I'll try to smurf that in mind, Duncan. I'll see the both of you later."

Tapper and Duncan watched as Smurfette walked off in the direction of the forest. "Every time I see Smurfette walk off in the forest by herself, I can't help but feel that I need to pray for her safety," Tapper commented.

"You sure you don't need to pray for something else besides her safety, laddie?" Duncan asked.

Tapper chuckled. "I know what you're thinking, Duncan. I also pray that my thoughts for her will always remain pure so that I will not dishonor her or the Almighty with improper thoughts that will lead to improper desires and actions."

"But such a fine beauty like her, I don't know if I can keep myself from smurfing thoughts of being alone with her smurfing under my hat," Duncan said. "She can really smurf the fire of a proud Smurfsman just by her appearance alone."

"The attraction of outer beauty toward a female is just what the Almighty intended, my fellow Duncan," Tapper said. "But there's more to a female than just the outer appearance that He desires the male to be attracted to."

Just then, Hefty and Handy appeared. "So what's smurfing on with you two today?" Hefty asked.

"We were just seeing Smurfette off into the forest where she will be smurfing some flowers to make the village beautiful with, my fellow Hefty," Tapper answered.

"I hope that she would smurf herself safe while she smurfs off into the forest," Handy said. "With Gargamel around, who knows what kind of mischief she would smurf victim to when he smurfs a hold of her?"

"Well, if Gargamel wants to smurf a hold of Smurfette, he's going to have to deal with me, because that will be the last thing he ever does if I ever smurf a hold of him," Hefty said.

"You already smurfed that once about a year ago when you were smurfed into a giant with that magnifying mixture that Brainy had smurfed on you, laddie, and that certainly didn't smurf out well for you," Duncan said.

"That's too bad for you, Hefty," Handy said. "Papa Smurf ended up having to smurf Azrael into a giant just to chase Gargamel far away from the village to save us that time."

"So Gargamel smurfed the better of me that time when I was a big Smurf...so what?" Hefty said. "That's not going to happen again no matter what size I am."

"I'll still be praying for you and whatever Smurf happens to smurf the unfortunate smurfumstance of running into the evil wizard sometime in the near future, my good Hefty," Tapper said.

To be expanded on.