This is a short tale I heard from my childhood from my parents and I simply translated it and retold it in a way I thought of it.
There was a village to the far northern lands yet not so far north where there was no beautiful trees yet not so far south where the flowers were but few colors yet not so far west where there was huge plants but not too far east either where the sun scorches the earth itself but right smacks dead in the center of the Earth. In the rural side of the village closest to the most mesmerizing wilderness dwelled on an old hermit he had a son coming of age. The hermit was everything to the boy father, mentor, master, elder, simply all that there is he is it. The village had a tradition whenever your child has come of age, they will go confront their adults and tell them of what they have learned through the years of planting, dancing, practicing martial arts, and studying. The Young man then came to sit next to the aging man in the front porch gazing to the rising sun. There was a silence that was shared between them one that was not awkward yet not one with little thing’s going on between the silence where slurps of tea and thoughts stirring. Alas the Man broke the silence.
“Long Sentence Reverend father I have come to learn that we mankind is full of fears yet we have not yet learned to state them simply and plainly enough….You see we aren’t afraid of heights but to fall down to a pitiful death. We aren’t afraid to swim, but we are afraid to drown in the sea of sufferings. We aren’t afraid to learn but to fail the mentor and disappoint the others. We aren’t afraid of progress but of work. Come to think of it I already know what I expect of those I love and cherish I will do the same and hope they respect my ideals and give me back what I give them. Seeing as the Old Man cock his eye brow the young one continued. “Don’t look at me in the eye when you lie to my face, don’t say you love me when there is no meaning to it, in conclusion, I do not want one that can love a million different persons but love me in a million ways.” Letting the words set in nervously the boy fidgeted his tea cup once more the youthful child impatient awaiting an answer.
Long Sentence hermit took his time and drank from his tea cup and played with the cap of the cup and then finally a smile formed played fourth before he cackled “Oh my child you really have grown into a man of well respected stature but you have yet one more lesson in life to learn and that is of the lesson of finding the perfect mate you are well off now but what i shall teach you now shall save you from much pains… tell me do you know what love is?” Tilting his head curiously the young man frowns taking his time for thought and then finally replies honestly “No, I do not know what is love but I also do not know how to find love…enlighten me, I beg of you.” Howling in amusement the sly mentor replies “Humble you are my child go out to the field find me the largest flower with in the field and bring it back to me never shall you pass by the same flower once you move on you moved on just keep moving on til you find the biggest one and bring it back to me.” The apprentice then bowed his head in obedience and rushes off under the roaring sun he scuffles off to the field to complete his master’s orders.
Hours later.
The sun’s glory began to wan and the disciple like wise returned. Long Sentence father joyously asked his child as he saw him empty handed “Alas you’ve returned my dearest son have you brought fourth to me what I’ve requested?” In shame the boy’s brows furrowed in a mixture of rage and shame he glared to the earth parch his face showed the true years of his age as he said his frustration “Father, I return empty handed, unable to complete your task punish me as you will, but I must say I’ve walked the fields searched all there is to see to no avail. Long Sentence the fields, I travel through the grass lands I ran yet I couldn’t find the biggest and best every time I stop and look at a flower, I’ve thoughts of another mayhap bigger, brighter, better never was I sure of it in the end I ran out of choices for I cannot pass the same flower twice and was forced to come back home empty handed.” In turn the youth bowed his head expecting punishment. Instead the ancient man seemed to lighten in years and grins wolfishly. “Son you’ve truly learned the essence of love and to find the perfect mate. It is to find one stay with her be content even during the hardest times you shall stand by her as she and your age look back to the numerous memories to assist you in being loyal to her and count your blessings during the toughest times. Best of all never regret or let go, for in love there is but two choices fix it or cut your losses and move on. When you argue to remember arguments are forever lasting they never disappear to only fade forever scarring another you see as you hammer nails to a wooden post it always be their, even if you pull out the nails it will still leave marks that you can never escape the eye of a human. It shall be recalled through the many times as long as it has been witnessed. But there will always be chances to make up for it just like when the sun sets to look back and see how there is so many others there able to assist you in guiding you home. Long Sentence lights linger in every home the sun is just the greatest light of all hand in hand with the moon shining upon all from evil to good.” Nodding in understanding the man’s face brightens and replies enthusiastically “father would it be that true love is blind then?” The old man’s wrinkles set in, and he sighs smiling far off to another realm not bothering to reply he simply said be off son it’s time you made your own mark on earth… just remember these very words Kiss longingly, embracing shamelessly, be quick to forgive, never forget what made you smile at waste not time for tears for life is too short to mourn too long…..”
Seeing multiple ‘that’ it was the time the Man stood with renewed strength and courage seeing off to make his name on the road multiple ‘that’ led to the unknowns for only those multiple ‘that’ walked shall know. Treading alone he then thought of how lonely it was then he said to himself “It was once said by a wise man IT does not matter how slow you go as long as you don’t stop” With those words, he pushed himself onwards not bothering to look back yet.
