The Ball

by IndiBrony

First published

A young filly questions why does a ball fall when we throw it into the air?

In life, we understand that certain things just are and can not be changed, but what about the things that can be changed? A young filly challenges innate laws by simply throwing a ball into the sky and her conclusions are more than she expected.

F = ma

View Online

The ball I threw, I threw high in the sky and as all balls do it fell down from the blue. I accepted this law as all fillies do, until one day I questioned what I knew. I pondered to myself why the ball that I threw would always come down to rest by my shoe. I said to myself "If I throw this ball high, perhaps I could make it remain in the sky." So I picked up my ball and I gave it a toss, but it came back down and I counted a loss. I picked it back up and threw it with force but, as expected, came back down, of course.

For days I would try to throw up my ball to the sky and pray it would no longer fall. Fillies and colts would often pass by and ask me why I would try and would try. "I want to try to discover if I can keep this ball up high in the sky." For my sanity some fillies would plead, yet others would stay to see me succeed.

My teacher approached, dispersing the commotion and arguing against such a 'silly' notion. "Filly!" she called with a disparaging stare, "Tell me what you are doing there!" I explained my plight and my decree, but she simply shook her head at me. "When and where things do ascend, gravity will bring them all down again. It is a law that can't be changed, so cease being silly and deranged!"

So as she left and no crowd remained, I questioned if my efforts were in vain. "If I cannot keep this ball in the sky, then perhaps I should stop and no longer try." I would try again to show I was strong, but after that I would know I was wrong. So tired and weary I threw it once more, and as it soared I fell to the floor. When standing back up in my dizzy haze, the sight that I saw left me truly amazed! The ball had gone, not at rest on the field; I jumped to the air, my delight unconcealed!

My excitement attracted a few to my side, to question why my eyes were so wide. "I did it! I did it!" I screamed, "The ball is in the air!" I gleamed. The fillies and colts looked up to the sky, but their opinions would quickly divide.

"I see no ball, what you speak are all lies!"

"It must be up there, just look with your eyes!"

"The ball must have fallen among the brush."

"But you see it remains untempered and lush!"

It was clear to me that myself and my actions had created a rift and several fractions. Many believed the ball had to fall, but perhaps that wasn't the case at all! The fillies searched across the playground, but alas no ball was found! Others searched in the sky to see where in the blue it could possibly be until a colt saw a peculiar dot which stunned and amazed the impressionable lot.

"There it is! I see it, my dear! The ball in the sky so visibly clear!" All eyes then turned to the colt, before turning skyward with an almighty jolt.

"Where?"

"There! I see it, too!"

"There's nothing there! What's wrong with you?"

Sad to say what happened next would leave my mind sadly perplexed; arguments befell across the playground regarding the ball that couldn't be found until the teacher vehemently said to "Stop all this nonsense!" and that "Recess is at end!"

Many debates were later held to question the theory that I had upheld. However my mind decided to shift to summarise reasons for the ungodly rift. It mattered not if the ball was there, but why it left ponies in so much despair. In my mind two answers were clear, though explaining would be hard, I fear:

If the ball was there I could swear with my might that my world view was impeccably right! Laws could be broken and others would see the reasons behind my ideology. However if not then I'd have to declare the pieces of the puzzle were not all there. Certain laws are immovable and innate, and all of our lives are destined by fate.

Regardless of how I conclude what I saw there was a question I hadn't accounted for! How did others come to their conclusion? Was it genuine belief of merely delusion? If one was right then the others were wrong, so how did the latter sing their song? Did they truly believe in something untrue? Or were they following a societal clue? Had they simply followed what others believed to save themselves from a friendship bereaved?

What's more is that throughout its course, this dilemma conjured a peculiar force creating two societies so very alike but with differences so very slight. Whilst both would agree upon many a subject, upon this one they would both object. In the end I ask with a mind so sober, is it a cause worth fighting over?

I believe more scenarios like this could appear in every day life, but I do not fear, for we've survived for thousands of years through pain and suffering and sorrowful tears to build a world where ponies grow together in harmony and it's wonderful glow. So let the ideas in your mind spread until they prosper or until they are dead and if the world disagrees do not despair because friends understand and will always be there.

And so I turn the tables on you: how would you see this turmoil through? Do you believe in the ball in the sky and more importantly I ask you: 'Why?'