There Was Once a Man and He Was Troubled

There was once a man and he was troubled for he wanted to know the reason why.
Why he was as he was, why he did as he did. He wanted to know the very reason for his existence.
So he travelled to the four corners of the earth asking each man that he met, “Why am I here?” and each man that he met shook his head and went on his way and the man had still to receive his answer.
And he visited the teachers and the gurus and he asked, “Why am I here?” and the teachers and the gurus shook their heads and went away and the man had still to receive his answer.
Then he spoke to the trees and he asked, “Why am I here?” but the trees shook their branches and rustled their leaves and his question went unanswered.
And he cried out to the Spirit of the Universe and he asked, “Why am I here?” Answer me for only then can I know true peace.”
And the Spirit of the Universe answered him and said to him, “You have travelled the four corners of the earth. Your eyes were open but you did not see the beauty which surrounded you. You did not see the lakes and the mountains, the valleys and the seas. You did not see the ground beneath your feet and the sky above your head. You have visited the teachers and the gurus and you did not recognise the knowledge that was available to you. You did not notice your chance to learn of greater things than the answer to your question.
You spoke to the trees and you did not appreciate that they, like you, are living things, yet they do not question “why?”
And the man said, “I do not understand. Why have you not answered my question?”
And the Spirit of the Universe said, “Look at yourself, listen to yourself for the answer lies within.”
And he opened his eyes and he saw the wonders of the world, and he opened his ears and he heard words of knowledge and of wisdom and he journeyed into his heart and deep within himself and he recognised the true joy of “being” and he found peace and he knew he would never again need to question “why?”

Marlene

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