Once upon a time, on an island not so far away, there lived a young nomad, Charlie. He loved to travel, garden and live his life close to nature. He had recently stumbled across the marvelous small island and has established his base camp there. Amid woods and chirping birds, clear blue skies and pure water waves, his life was absolutely perfect. Until one day.
While sitting at the coast around a fire, he felt the sharp cold winds. Over time, the winds grew colder and colder. Trees started shedding leaves, mountains began engulfing themselves in white carpets of snow and the warm summer days turned into short winter days.
Caught unprepared, he wasn't quite sure what to do. He went in search of big leaves and wood for fire. He wanted warmth. He didn't know where to and how to protect himself against the sharp cold breeze. One night, curled up, shivering from the cold, his eyes barely open from the weakness, he saw an old man approaching. A glimpse of hope. Of Life.
The old man walked to him, wrapped him in a warm blanket, gave him a bottle of magic potion and a few warm clothes. He told Charlie to protect himself against the winter with the clothes he had given. He then showed him to a small stone hut in the near by cave. Warm and cozy. Perfect for brutal times. The old man said it was his old cave which Charlie could share during winters since the old man did not live on the island anymore.
Charlie started to question how he'd return the favor. The old man smiled and said, "Don't worry. You can keep the warm clothes til the winter lasts. And when I visit the next winter, I'll get you more clothes if you want."
"But how would I ever repay you for all these services?" Charlie asked.
"If you realize want to do me a favor, just make sure you don't drink from the nearby waterfall. In return, this is your land. You inhabit it now. Live the way you want." With that, the old man smiled and walked away on his journey.
The colors returned, winds changed, warm leaves and chirping birds made their way back to the island again marking the arrival of Spring. Charlie lived happily, farming, enjoying and loving his life. Each winter, he would wait for the Old Man, get the warm clothes that'd suffice him through the winter months. The life was good again. Until one summer day.
Charlie was foraging for food when he stopped to reflect on the beauty of the wonderful waterfall. He remembered the Old Man's advice and tried ignoring the temptation of walking towards it. However, his curiosity could not hold me back further. He looked around, reminded himself that the Old Man would not get to know anyway and proceeded to taste the pure beauty of the waterfall.
The water was pure. Tasted like no other potion on planet. Charlie was taken aback. In love, in daze of its taste. He drank more and more of it. The more he drank it, the more he enjoyed and experienced the joy like never before.
Each day, he would walk up to the waterfall, shun away his guilt of disobaying the old man and just drink.
That winter, when the Old Man came, Charlie pretended to be abiding by the Old Man's rule and avoided the waterfall till the Old Man had given him warm clothes and gone.
In the autumn that followed, Charlie grew weak. Each day, he grew weaker. He couldn't gather the energy to farm, garden and forage for food. He could not keep his birds happy. Slowly and gradually, his condition declined. Given his weakness, he began feeling cold. He tried looking for old warm clothes but realized that he had thrown all of them away.
He felt helpless. He wasn't quite sure how to call the Old Man for help. How to tell Him that he needed his help in this unexpected brutal weather and inner condition. He could hardly keep his eyes open. One evening, when he was battling his last moments between Life and Death, he squeezed his eyes and pleaded to somehow make the Old Man appear.
A few moments later, he felt the warm blanket around himself. He tried getting up but the Old Man motioned him to keep resting.
Charlie seemed guilty. He realized he had never bothered sitting and spending time with the Old Man. He didn't even bother remembering the Old Man except for the winter time. Heck, he had even gone against his deal and tasted the forbidden waterfall.
As if reading his mind, the Old Man smiled and said,
"Its okay. I am just an Old Man, but just because I can give you warm clothes during winter times, doesn't mean you can't remember me in your summer days. The waterfall is that which caused you to grow weak. Its taste so sweet yet its consequence so bad. I had stopped you from it, not for my self but for your sake. You'll Heal soon". With that, He stood up.
"Wait, don't walk away." Charlie pleaded.
"Don't worry. I don't go anywhere. I am always here. In summers, in winters." The Old Man smiled.
We all are nomads with One Old Man who has given us this place to inhabit. He stops us from that which might harm us. He comes during our winter times with warm clothes to protect us against the cold sufferings. However, that's how we keep Him. We keep our relationship seasonal. However, He remains. Only we are too busy drinking from the waterfall during the summer days that we don't see Him "
While sitting at the coast around a fire, he felt the sharp cold winds. Over time, the winds grew colder and colder. Trees started shedding leaves, mountains began engulfing themselves in white carpets of snow and the warm summer days turned into short winter days.
Caught unprepared, he wasn't quite sure what to do. He went in search of big leaves and wood for fire. He wanted warmth. He didn't know where to and how to protect himself against the sharp cold breeze. One night, curled up, shivering from the cold, his eyes barely open from the weakness, he saw an old man approaching. A glimpse of hope. Of Life.
The old man walked to him, wrapped him in a warm blanket, gave him a bottle of magic potion and a few warm clothes. He told Charlie to protect himself against the winter with the clothes he had given. He then showed him to a small stone hut in the near by cave. Warm and cozy. Perfect for brutal times. The old man said it was his old cave which Charlie could share during winters since the old man did not live on the island anymore.
Charlie started to question how he'd return the favor. The old man smiled and said, "Don't worry. You can keep the warm clothes til the winter lasts. And when I visit the next winter, I'll get you more clothes if you want."
"But how would I ever repay you for all these services?" Charlie asked.
"If you realize want to do me a favor, just make sure you don't drink from the nearby waterfall. In return, this is your land. You inhabit it now. Live the way you want." With that, the old man smiled and walked away on his journey.
The colors returned, winds changed, warm leaves and chirping birds made their way back to the island again marking the arrival of Spring. Charlie lived happily, farming, enjoying and loving his life. Each winter, he would wait for the Old Man, get the warm clothes that'd suffice him through the winter months. The life was good again. Until one summer day.
Charlie was foraging for food when he stopped to reflect on the beauty of the wonderful waterfall. He remembered the Old Man's advice and tried ignoring the temptation of walking towards it. However, his curiosity could not hold me back further. He looked around, reminded himself that the Old Man would not get to know anyway and proceeded to taste the pure beauty of the waterfall.
The water was pure. Tasted like no other potion on planet. Charlie was taken aback. In love, in daze of its taste. He drank more and more of it. The more he drank it, the more he enjoyed and experienced the joy like never before.
Each day, he would walk up to the waterfall, shun away his guilt of disobaying the old man and just drink.
That winter, when the Old Man came, Charlie pretended to be abiding by the Old Man's rule and avoided the waterfall till the Old Man had given him warm clothes and gone.
In the autumn that followed, Charlie grew weak. Each day, he grew weaker. He couldn't gather the energy to farm, garden and forage for food. He could not keep his birds happy. Slowly and gradually, his condition declined. Given his weakness, he began feeling cold. He tried looking for old warm clothes but realized that he had thrown all of them away.
He felt helpless. He wasn't quite sure how to call the Old Man for help. How to tell Him that he needed his help in this unexpected brutal weather and inner condition. He could hardly keep his eyes open. One evening, when he was battling his last moments between Life and Death, he squeezed his eyes and pleaded to somehow make the Old Man appear.
A few moments later, he felt the warm blanket around himself. He tried getting up but the Old Man motioned him to keep resting.
Charlie seemed guilty. He realized he had never bothered sitting and spending time with the Old Man. He didn't even bother remembering the Old Man except for the winter time. Heck, he had even gone against his deal and tasted the forbidden waterfall.
As if reading his mind, the Old Man smiled and said,
"Its okay. I am just an Old Man, but just because I can give you warm clothes during winter times, doesn't mean you can't remember me in your summer days. The waterfall is that which caused you to grow weak. Its taste so sweet yet its consequence so bad. I had stopped you from it, not for my self but for your sake. You'll Heal soon". With that, He stood up.
"Wait, don't walk away." Charlie pleaded.
"Don't worry. I don't go anywhere. I am always here. In summers, in winters." The Old Man smiled.
We all are nomads with One Old Man who has given us this place to inhabit. He stops us from that which might harm us. He comes during our winter times with warm clothes to protect us against the cold sufferings. However, that's how we keep Him. We keep our relationship seasonal. However, He remains. Only we are too busy drinking from the waterfall during the summer days that we don't see Him "
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