Standing on a slope
Early morning, I hiked through the woods, over the creaky bridge, and finally, after almost two hours, I reached my teacher's house up on the hill.
Me: "Why do you have to live so far up here? I have important questions; it would be nice if I reach you more easily."
Teacher: "Oh.... when you have important questions and you walk in nature, you usually find the answers yourself. This way, by the time you reach my house, you already have the answers, and my work is done"
Me: "...."
Teacher: "So, tell me about your questions"
Me: "Well... hmm... they don't seem so important now. I had questions regarding purpose, time, and related things. I don't remember the questions now."
Teacher: "Let's wait. The important questions will bubble up again"
And so we just sat neat the small cabin, sipping tea slowly for hours.
Me: "I still have questions floating in my mind regarding how to find purpose"
Teacher: "I see that the forest didn't solve your questions. Let's wait until sunset"
So we waited. The sun set. Day turned to night. Stars.
Me: "I haven't seen starry sky like this for some time..."
Teacher: "Keep looking"
After some time
Me: "All my questions appear so small now. Life itself seems so small."
Teacher waited for me to continue.
Me: "Are you silently saying that if I just look at the sky at night and walk in nature during the day, I will not have any complex questions? Is it really that simple?"
Teacher: "See that slope over there. Try to build a structure using sticks on that slope... actually, don't try now because it will take a long time. It is challenging. Now, try the same on the flat surface here; much easier. By avoiding nature, you have chosen a more challenging starting point for life. There is nothing wrong with that, but understand that everything will appear more challenging because you are standing on a challenging foundation. And if you come to me and ask complex questions, my job is to first point out that you are standing on a slope. Once you have understood that, we can move forward."
Me: "Why do you have to live so far up here? I have important questions; it would be nice if I reach you more easily."
Teacher: "Oh.... when you have important questions and you walk in nature, you usually find the answers yourself. This way, by the time you reach my house, you already have the answers, and my work is done"
Me: "...."
Teacher: "So, tell me about your questions"
Me: "Well... hmm... they don't seem so important now. I had questions regarding purpose, time, and related things. I don't remember the questions now."
Teacher: "Let's wait. The important questions will bubble up again"
And so we just sat neat the small cabin, sipping tea slowly for hours.
Me: "I still have questions floating in my mind regarding how to find purpose"
Teacher: "I see that the forest didn't solve your questions. Let's wait until sunset"
So we waited. The sun set. Day turned to night. Stars.
Me: "I haven't seen starry sky like this for some time..."
Teacher: "Keep looking"
After some time
Me: "All my questions appear so small now. Life itself seems so small."
Teacher waited for me to continue.
Me: "Are you silently saying that if I just look at the sky at night and walk in nature during the day, I will not have any complex questions? Is it really that simple?"
Teacher: "See that slope over there. Try to build a structure using sticks on that slope... actually, don't try now because it will take a long time. It is challenging. Now, try the same on the flat surface here; much easier. By avoiding nature, you have chosen a more challenging starting point for life. There is nothing wrong with that, but understand that everything will appear more challenging because you are standing on a challenging foundation. And if you come to me and ask complex questions, my job is to first point out that you are standing on a slope. Once you have understood that, we can move forward."
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