Two men found themselves traveling together by foot down a quiet desolate road. One man wore a raggedy beard that was as long as his troubles in life. The other man’s face and scalp were smooth and clean. This man walked with a swagger in his gait for he had not bore too many cares nor troubles in his life.
The two men's descent down the dusty road abruptly stopped when they stumbled upon a human skull lying just off to the side of the road. The bald man eased down to grasp the skull. As he began to erect himself, his eyes caught the hollow stare of the skulls empty voids. The bald man shuddered and lost his grip on the skull. A realization had swiftly entered the bald man's consciousness. Death, despair, and darkness are what he saw in every corner of the world.
The skull made a hollow knock as it thumped the ground and rolled to bearded man's feet. After a silent deep breathe the bearded man reached for the overturned skull. He ached form his joints, but gently scooped the skull in both hands. His eyes too connected with the skulls deep hollow stare. He lightly closed his wrinkled eyes and lifted his chin to feel the beating sun on his dry face. The bearded man slowly placed the skull just as it was found at the quite road's crackled side.
The two men both wiped small tears from their eyes and once again continued down the long desolate road. The road slowly began to fade from asphalt to dirt showing only a hint of a path. This fading path could only lead so far until it emptied into a canyon. The long crevasse was decorated around its brim with trees, grass, and dark soil.
The bald man could go no farther, his face now tired and shriveled as grapes left to the sun. Crossing the gap seemed pointless and without reward for he believed only more death, despair, and darkness lurked on the other side. To fill his time he began to cut down the trees around the mouth to build a wall in hopes of blocking his view of the challenge that lied before him. Yes, the bald man would remain stationary; his journey had ended and brought him to a dark place. A dark world filled with destruction and death. It was all that the once carefree and seemingly joyful man could do, but shield himself from the thought of coping with more pain and suffering.
Miserably the bald man sat in the world and saw ground too hard for tilling and trees too skinny to bear any meaty fruits. His travels had brought him to a world filled with darkness where he lived out his days in sorrow and agonizing pain.
What you ask happened to the bearded man?
When cupping the skull in his calloused hands, the bearded man saw the world for what it can be; a harsh environment that never once shows its inhabitants mercy and knew that death was an eminent fact. However, he understood that in every step and breathe he took there was life and a journey to be had. The bearded man became thankful of his many hard years as he took in breathe and felt the warm embrace of the life giving sun.
The bearded man and the canyon greeted each other. The canyon provided the bearded man purpose and reasons to enjoy his journey. Refreshed from the small fruits of the thin trees, he began building a bridge to cross the empty space.
What awaited the bearded man once he bested the long empty stretch you ask?
A journey that he thankfully continued …
