“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” – Winston S. Churchill
There once lived a man who was known for his wisdom. he was so wise that people would come to him for solutions to their problems. He was also very hardworking and people loved him.
But his son was a very different story, he hated to work and spent the whole of his day lazing about.
He would be seen at bars and strip clubs, living life without a purpose. He hated life and wanted nothing to do with it.
Soon the wise man began to grow in age, and his worries about his son kept rising every day. he thought of how he could help his son so that he could find his purpose in life.
So one morning he called him to his living quarters and sent him on a journey to the island of the Monks where he would find a fortune hidden in a temple.
The boy refused, saying he was fine where he was. but his father insisted, telling him that if he found the fortune he could keep it all for himself.
So the boy happily packed some clothes for the road and began his journey. Delighted that for once his father had done him a good favor.
He passed through the forest filled with wild animals, trees covered with moss, and rocks scattered throughout. He crossed a bridge connecting one part of the island to the next and then continued walking.
A small village came into sight and he stopped. he looked around at all the houses and noticed some were empty while others had people sleeping in them.
He took shelter in one of the empty houses for the night and resumed his journey the next morning.
He found his way through the desert and the highest of mountains until finally, he arrived at his location.
But to his surprise the entire temple was empty. He walked around searching for the great fortune until he came across some group of nomads who told him that the temple had shut down ages ago. There was nothing there for him as far as they know. The boy was filled with rage, how dare his father deceive him?!. he thought to himself in anger.
They offered him a place to stay for the night. But because he was still angry, and he wanted nothing to do with his father, he decided to stay back with the nomads, who were happy to have him as a guest.
During his stay with them, he learned some valuable lessons about family, he learned to fish, hunt, and build a shelter for himself, and so many other survival skills.
After spending a long time with them, he decided it was time to go home. so he headed back down the path that lead home after bidding farewell to the nice family that harbored him.
The way home had a different experience, as he took his time to enjoy the view and wonders of nature, he was no longer in a hurry like he was at the beginning, and with the survival skills he learned, he was able to take care of himself.
Finally noticing the beautiful birds in the sky, the wonderful trees, the soft grass beneath his feet... It’s a wonder to him how people could look at something like this and complain. How they could think that the world is just as bad as they thought it was? If only those who see these things knew what truly matters in life.
If only words didn't fall on deaf ears.
finally, after a journey of a year, he returned home to his father. The rage he felt for his father faded away, as he fell to his knees, his eyes soaked in tears.
"I'm sorry father, I couldn't find the fortune. I failed father. I'm sorry".
"My son", his father began. It was never about the fortune it was all about the journey, and what you learned from it". The wise man said as he embraced his son who once was lost but now is found.
It's not called living if you haven't lived