I heard a story once that made me think for what seemed like hours and to think about it again, I wonder if indeed the story might be, in some part, about me or even us. It starts with a young man who is sitting and looking at a high mountain in the distance. He wonders to himself if he could climb it and if he got to the top, what would he see. After much thought, he decided to walk to the mountain and climb it so he could see the view from the top. The young man walked about half way when he met a traveler coming from the direction of the mountain. He asked the traveler if he had climbed the mountain and if he had, how did he climb it and what did he see when he got to the top. The traveler explained all to the young man’s satisfaction then the lad started his journey anew filled with confidence that he might really get to the top of the mountain. After a while longer, the man met yet another traveler at the foot of the mountain and made the same inquiry he made with the first traveler he met. After a positive response the man took off again, going around the base of the mountain looking for a better way to climb it when he came upon another traveler, and then, another traveler and another until he had met and talked with about 30 such people who had all been to the top and seen the view. Suddenly, the young man sat down and thought to himself. Why should I climb the mountain to see what the view is on the top when so many people have shared how they climbed the mountain and what they saw when they got there? Surely, I possess much more than what I would have if only I had climbed the mountain for I now have all the knowledge that all the other travelers shared with me. ......................................... Now, in some ways it goes with the small adage of, “he who knows and knows he knows is a wiseman, follow him.”. But then I think, in order to be “Like” that wise man I have to travel the same roads as he has for to accept that wisdom without the journey as my own wisdom is surely like stealing that which I have not earned. I think that maybe we all do that to some extent. We experience some things vicariously, through someone else’s efforts and then we claim to have knowledge. Even if all it takes is to trouble the stream whilst crossing it just to experience the truth ourselves, the water remains calm and with it’s unguided journey unbroken by a single footstep. We depend so heavily on someone else’s journey to form our own opinions which we call truth. Strange. I further think, maybe if I were to be a wise man, I would want to experience the journey and see what is at the top of the mountain myself. Oh, I might take the advice from those who have been there, and even think I know what to expect to see from the top by the descriptions of others but at the end, I want my journey to be mine, and the view to be my own and not some kaleidoscopic view gleaned from someone else’s journey. I do not think I have finished my journey..........
How true - I watched a programme last night on Covid togetherness The folk that do the daily tasks and still doing them regardless, the bin men and women, the postie, the people that sort and bring food to older folks and those in need etc etc ….. It was heartwarming to see the appreciation for the workers and there will be some good from an awful situation more appreciation for a start - yes life is a 'never ending' journey No comparison to your story I know, but the programme was worth mentioning