• The boy’s journey



    Once upon a time, there lived a boy. The boy lived an ordinary life in an ordinary village but the boy himself was quite extraordinary. You see, the boy could hear the whispers of the nature and every once in a while you could see him talking to a tree or singing with the wind. The people of the village feared the boy for his so-called sixth sense but always turned to his side if they needed help or advise.

    But one day, the boy grew tired of the village and its residents. He packed his bag and left without a word to search for the answer to life. First, the boy went deep inside the forest near his village. After all, what better place would there be to search for the Answer if not in a place so full of living things. There he met a fox who had just caught a small mouse.
    “Excuse me Mr. Fox. Before you start with your meal, could I ask you a question?” The boy asked.
    “My, my. It’s been a while since someone like you last visited us. What is it? Make it quick so I can continue with my meal.”
    “Do you know the answer to life?”
    “Of course I don’t. If I did, I wouldn’t be here now would I?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You think I would stay here if I knew the Answer? No. I’d go and do the things I’ve always wanted to do instead of just repeating the same things day after day.”
    “Why don’t you do that now?”
    “Are you stupid? I can’t just leave this place like that. Nothing in life is that simple.”
    “I see. Before I go there is still one more question I’d like to ask.”
    “Surprise me.”
    “Do you think it’s okay to take someone’s life in order to live yourself?”
    “How naïve of you, boy. It doesn’t matter whether it’s right or wrong. What matters is that you do what you need to do.”

    Puzzled by the fox’s ideas, the boy left the forest and headed towards the great river. The water was crystal clear and the banks where blooming with wild flowers. Now here he would surely find his answer. The boy stepped into the water and asked:
    “Excuse me Ms. Water. Can you tell me what the answer to life is?”
    “Forgive me young one, but someone like me couldn’t know possibly know anything about life.” The voice of the water said.
    “What do you mean? You are the one who gives us life. Surely you know the Answer.”
    “Oh, but I don’t. You see, while I do give you the gift of life, I myself do not posses that gift. A lifeless being such as me could not possibly know the secrets of the living.”
    “Then do you know anyone who might know?”
    “I’m sorry young one. All of those who found the Answer have long since disappeared.”
    “I see. Then I still have one last question. Why is it that you who give us life also so easily take it from us?”
    “Nothing in this world is free, my dear. And, is it not that your kind so carelessly pollute my waters and kill my dear living creatures. Why should I not return the favour and free the land of you humans?”

    Troubled by the water’s words, the boy continued his journey and headed towards the mountains of the east. There he could find the answer, right? Every wise man had gone up there and found their enlightenment. There, at the slope of the mountain, he met an eagle.
    “Excuse me Mr. Eagle. I’m looking for the answer to life. Can you tell me what it is?”
    “You’re not the only one, or perhaps you are. Many have come here in the past in search of the same thing and all of them found a different answer.”
    “Forgive me, but I don’t understand.”
    “Do I have to spell it out to you, you stupid human? There is no answer to life. All of the answers are just a punch of lies to make you feel better. Life is just meaningless accident.”
    “But if it’s so, then does that mean we would all be better of dead?”
    “Of course not! I’ll keep on living. No way will I die. You humans can go and do what you want but I will keep on living.”
    “But if there is no meaning to your life then why keep on going?”
    “Because if it’s meaningless then death is meaningless as well. There’s no point in living or dying. If I have to choose between those two meaningless things, I’d rather pick life.”
    “I see. Then do you think all life is worthless and it’s okay to do whatever you wish to do with them?”
    “Yes, but not my life. No one is allowed to take my life for it is mine and mine alone. I don’t care about others and you shouldn’t either.”

    Crestfallen of these words, the boy continued west to the wasteland. There, in the middle of the barren ground and dry bushes he met a boy of his own age.
    “Who are you?”
    “How rude! You should introduce yourself before asking others. However, I’ll forgive you this time. After all, you are my first visitor in years. I am Death.”
    “Surely you jest.”
    “Oh, but I don’t. I have just taken this form so that you and I could have this talk. You see, I saw you on your journey and wished to speak with you ever since.”
    “But if you are Death, then what would you know about the answer to life?”
    “I don’t, but neither does anyone else. What I do know is that all those who have found the Answer are no longer here.”
    “Then isn’t this a waste of time?”
    “Yes and no. Yes, since you will not get the answer from me and no, since you cannot find it anywhere else either.”
    “Then what is it that you want to talk about?”
    “I want to know what you think life is about. For someone like me, life is the greatest mystery for I always take it but never get it.”
    “During this journey I have seen how easy it is to fall to your own illusions and loose sight of the things most important to you.”
    “True. We all live in our own world of illusions. Refusing to see what is right there in front of us.”
    “But I still think that even if life itself was an accident, it doesn’t have to be one without meaning.”
    “Oh? How come?”
    “I think that once we break free of our illusions and see the things most important to us we can find the Answer as well.”
    “And I suppose you know what it is.”
    “Now I do, thanks to you.”
    “Then what is it?”

    The boy only smiled when Death asked that question. He told him that he would see him again soon and left the wasteland behind. The boy returned to his village where he was greeted with many smiles. That night the whole village threw a party to celebrate the boy’s return. All this time the boy kept quiet and smiled. Everything was back to normal and the ordinary life of the ordinary village continued. One month after the boy had returned he once again met Death. With a smile on his face, the boy went to sleep. Only a note was left behind.

    Don’t worry. He has found the Answer. It just happened a bit sooner than for the rest of you.